


Sea Patrol IV: Strike First

by Commander Smith (doctor_b1993)



Series: Sea Patrol: Surface Warfare [1]
Category: Sea Patrol
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-04 20:59:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctor_b1993/pseuds/Commander%20Smith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Mike Flynn <em>finally</em> takes a promotion at the urging of his boss, Commander Maxine White, and is posted to Naval Forces Command (NAVCOM) North as Maxine's Operations Manager and Chief of Staff, he is replaced by Lieutenant Commander Maddison "Maddy" Norton, a laid-back yet quietly confident Warfare Officer nine years into a life in the Navy. The transition from Mike to Maddy is complicated by personal connections and the winds of change, there is a New Generation Navy coming and Maddy must steer <em>Hammersley</em> through the tough times to come...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Bloody War or a Sickly Season

**Author's Note:**

> _**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Sea Patrol or anything other than the plot of this story and my original characters._
> 
>  
> 
> In this story there are sixteen _Armidale_ class patrol boats; the fourteen real boats along with HMA Ships _Hammersley_ and _Kingston_ featured in the Sea Patrol series. The abbreviations for enlisted ranks used in this story are taken are mostly taken from the Royal Australian Navy website. This story is alternate universe from the middle of Season 4 Episode 1. Additionally, in this story, the Samaru Islands are a monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II with the Series 2 coup planned at turning the island chain into a republic.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lt. Cmdr. Mike Flynn, after much stalling, is finally promoted and tamed by a desk job after a he saves the American Ambassador and receives a phone call from V. Adm. Logan Morrell, the Chief of Navy. When Mike meets the officer who has been chosen to take over his beloved Hammersley, he is surprised to meet Lt. Cmdr. Maddy Norton, a woman who, seven years ago, had been the only other officer aboard HMAS Balikpapan commanded at the time by Lt. Cmdr. Flynn. Just like seven years before, there are immediate sparks between Mike and Maddy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was originally posted on fanfiction.net as a single story with the main character a "Lt. Cmdr. Renae Jackson". I have since expanded my plans and revamped it slightly and this is the first part of the _Sea Patrol: Surface Warfare_ series and the main character's name has changed to "Lt. Cmdr. Maddy Norton" (or as "Katie" during writing).

### Chapter One: A Bloody War or a Sickly Season

_Twenty-four sailors from every walk of life, of every age and temperament, living literally cheek by jowl for week after week, away from family and friends sometimes for months at a time in seas of all conditions with temperatures often in the high 30s. It's a pressure cooker that can bring out the best, and sometimes the worst, in all of them – man and woman alike. It calls upon reserves of devotion to duty, tolerance, obedience and of course humour, way beyond that which most people possess. Blue skies, white sands, throbbing motors and star filled nights. Explosive action and monumental stillness, a closeness to nature. The awesome beauty of tropical waters, its wildlife, and the terrifying intensity of tropical storms. Mysterious events and deadly consequences. At sea, man is at his most lonely and vulnerable, entirely at the mercy of capricious Mother Nature's unpredictable winds and waves. It's a special kind of person who chooses to live and work "on the edge" like this. They form bonds of mateship that will never be broken._

_Patrol boat sailors say their job is the best in Navy. A small boat and its crew, facing real dangers – not just war games. Every hour of every day, in all weather imaginable, these young men and women of the Australian Patrol Boat Group battle the elements, and the odds, to defend Australia's borders and enforce its economic zone. They provide security, support, and relief for the world's largest island. Honour. Honesty. Courage. Integrity. Loyalty. These are the Royal Australian Navy values and they are the cornerstone of any successful crew. This is it, the real deal..._

_THIS IS SEA PATROL - everyday heroes doing an extraordinary job!_

####  **Cairns International Airport**  
 **Aeroglen, Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1002 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

Lt. Cmdr. Maddison Norton, known only as Maddy on pain of death, or to her closest of friends as Mads, stepped off the Qantas Boeing 737-400 jet and was immediately assaulted by the incredibly intense humidity of Far North Queensland. Even dressed as she was in her Summer Regular Day Dress, or "summer whites", she was fully aware that just about every male on the flight had been sneaking glances. She knew that men found her attractive, but she found this frustrating and felt it took away from her position as a leader. At five feet four and a half inches, Maddy was practically bang on average height and with what one ex-boyfriend in her teen years described as curves in all the right places, the brunette naval officer could have quite easily taken up a career as an actor or a model, or even as a surfer.

Slipping her cover on her head as her feet hit the tarmac, Maddy thanked her lucky stars that "rig of the day" (as the British call it) to report in to her new command was summer whites rather than Winter Ceremonial Dress ("winter dress blues") or even Winter Regular Day Dress ("winter blues") like she had been wearing just a week ago when she returned to Sydney and reported to Fleet HQ at HMAS _Kuttabul_ after her posting as an exchange Warfare Officer on board Royal Navy destroyer HMS _Edinburgh_ had ended. Less than three days after she had returned to Australia, she had received a phone call from a former mentor of hers, Cmdr. Maxine White, known as Max to friends, and behind her back by the bravest of sailors as "Knocker", asking her to take a billet at HMAS _Cairns_ under Max's command.

As the crowd dispersed away from the plane, Maddy caught sight of a sailor standing beside a nondescript blue sedan parked nearby. Making her way towards the car, she was met halfway by the sailor who she now noticed wore the insignia of an able seaman personnel operations sailor on his summer whites. The sailor stopped before her in the brace position before executing a textbook, picture perfect salute and addressed her, "Lieutenant Commander Norton? Able Seaman Personnel Operations Sailor Tom Garrett. I'm here to drive you to Naval Forces Command Northern Region Headquarters for your meeting with Commander White."

"Thank you, able," Maddy replied, returning the salute before gesturing the junior sailor to lead the way.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1044 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

After a twenty-two hour flight and a car trip which seemed to just drag on and on, Maddy was finally led into the office of the Commander, Naval Forces Command Northern Region (COMNAVFORNORTH), coming to attention in the brace position, a faint grin on her face as she looked directly of the Commander's shoulder and said, "Lieutenant Commander Maddy Norton, reporting as ordered, ma'am."

Commander Maxine White flashed a smile of her own before coming business-like as she addressed Maddy, "Stand at ease, Commander, and welcome back to Cairns." The stern forty-one year old blonde naval officer gestured her protégé into one of the two chairs in front of her desk. "Maddy, I'm afraid that I told you a slight fib when I said I wanted you to fill a shore billet at NAVCOM."

"Uh, ma'am?" Maddy asked, looking confused about whatever Maxine could mean by such a cryptic statement.

The look of confusion gradually turned to comprehension as Max explained, "The billet her at NAVCOM HQ will hopefully be taken by another friend of mine currently serving as the CO of HMAS _Hammersley_. He's turned down three separate promotions in the last twenty-four months, but after his heroics with the American Ambassador this morning, not to mention the call from a staff officer to the Commander Australian Fleet, I suspect he will find the next person to ask rather difficult to turn down."

"Now you have me curious, ma'am," Maddy said, leaning forward in her seat.

"Well let's just say that the Admiral will be calling after the _Hammersley_ docks," Max informed the junior officer with a twinkle in her eye.

"Very devious," Maddy smirked, tacking on "ma'am" only when Max raised an eyebrow and looked expectantly at her.

**1502 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

A loud knock on the doorframe at the entry to her office caused Max to look up from her laptop and smile as she caught sight of her old friend and academy classmate, Lt. Cmdr. Mike Flynn. "How's the hand?" she asked, referring to his actions the night before when he had saved the American Ambassador to Australia, Steve Davis, from an assassination attempt.

"Just a flesh wound, Swaino patched me up," Mike replied, brushing off the inquiry and ignoring the slight twinge in his hand as he flexed it slightly.

"Mike, sit," Maxine said, her smile turning to a frown as Mike made no effort to move.

Shaking his head, Mike was bordering on insubordination when he replied, "Thought I might just hang by the door. Quick getaway... ma'am."

"SIT!" Max ordered this time, her voice changing from friendly to stentorian when Mike continued to remain near the door. When Mike finally sat down, Max continued to talk, "Unfortunately, there's been a blanket on the press, so the public are never going to learn about your heroics..."

"I can live with that," Mike assured her casually.

"... but the people that matter," Max said sternly, silently chastising him for his interruption, "however, have been fully briefed. I've just been reading an email from the Admiral and he wants to know why Mike Flynn is being so stubborn about this blasted promotion?"

"Let me guess," Mike said, waving his hand near his head as if he were trying to capture psychic waves, "Now, don't tell me, he's been speaking with his old mate the ambassador?"

"I have had Ambassador Davis on the phone too, chewing my ear off. It seems you've been doing your job just a bit too well," Max said, ignoring Mike's smile which at one time would have made her feel weak-kneed.

"Hey, look! My godson!" Mike said, picking up the picture of Max's son Ryan from her desk, making a desperate attempt to change the subject. "How old is Ryan now? Sixteen?"

"Nearly eighteen, don't change the subject Mike," Max shot back, chastising him once more.

"Please, Maxine," Mike begged, or whined, Max thought.

"The office next to mine is free, you can't sit in a CO's chair forever!" Max gave Mike a reality check, hoping he would finally cave.

"I wasn't thinking forever, just the next year or three," Mike assured Max, and she silently cursed him before having yet another answer but then inwardly smirked when the phone rang and she new that Mike would have three stripes rather than two and a half by the end of the day.

As she picked up the phone and covered the mouthpiece for a moment, Mike grabbed his cover and made a dash for the door. At another time, she would have thought it quite humorous, but this time, she was quite annoyed, and barked out "Wait!" before uncovering the mouthpiece and actually answering the call. "Commander White," she said, pausing a moment while she waited for the response. "Yes sir... yes sir... just a moment sir..." she continued looking up at Mike who suddenly paled as he realised what was happening. As Mike this time made his dash for real, Max muttered to herself, "Chief of Navy, if you're determined to stall on this, you're going to have to explain it to the boss yourself." She banged on her window, calling out, "Lieutenant Commander Flynn!" before watching with satisfaction as Mike realised that he had no choice now but to speak to the boss.

Steeling himself, Mike walked back into the office and took the phone from Max, shooting her a withering glare as he did so. "Mike Flynn," he said and waited to hear the voice on the other end.

 _"Lieutenant Commander Flynn, this is Vice Admiral Logan Morrell,"_ the voice on the other end of the line said, and Mike recognised that it was indeed the recently promoted Chief of Navy and he had a sneaking suspicion that he would be in a shore-based commander's billet by the end of the phone call.

**1511 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

When Mike finally gave the phone back to Maxine to hang up, he couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. Despite his several attempts to turn down V. Adm. Morrell's requests that he accept promotion, he had finally caved when it became clear that the Chief of Navy was not going to give up. He shot his friend another withering glare as Max smiled at him indulgently before gesturing him back into a seat. "Now that the Admiral has brought you around to our way of thinking, _Commander_ ," Max said, placing extra emphasis on the lack of the word _lieutenant_ in Mike's new rank, "how about we bring in your replacement? She'll be working closely with you in your new role as Operations Manager, Naval Forces Command North."

"Are you going to give me a choice, Max?" Mike asked, now enjoying the fact that, despite him still wearing lieutenant commander shoulder boards until the quartermaster arrived, he was now the same rank as his old friend.

Max looked thoughtful for a moment. "No, not really," she told him with a grin as she caught the attention of her yeoman and gestured for him to send the next CO of _Hammersley_ into her office.

When Mike turned around, curious about the identity of the woman taking command of his "old girl" - as he still thought of _Hammersley_ \- he was hard pressed to keep his jaw from bouncing off the carpet in Max's office. It had been five years, but he would recognise the young face and latent youthful exuberance anywhere. Something that Mike HAD forgotten in the intervening years was how her girl-next-door looks had turned a fair few heads when she reported to his command for her first sea duty out of Seaman Officer Training, and, looking at her now, he assumed they still did, wherever she went.

When Lt. Cmdr. Maddy Norton stepped into her mentor's office for the second time that day, she stopped dead and stared in disbelief as she recognised the man who she was replacing as CO of HMAS _Hammersley_. Five years had passed since she had served as Executive Officer to Lt. Cmdr. Mike Flynn when he was in command of HMAS _Balikpapan_ , a landing craft heavy based out of HMAS _Coonawarra_ with just two officers on board. Back then, Mike had been the object of unspoken desires for many of the women at the small Darwin base with a grin that would give any woman an attack of weak knees, and even now, when Maddy knew he must be approaching forty, she could still see that he was fit enough to be considered a "hunk" by many women.

Inwardly smirking at the reactions of her two friends, Max decided to break them from their musings by completing what was, she could tell, a completely pointless introduction, "Commander Mike Flynn, meet your replacement, Lieutenant Commander Maddy Norton." When Max spoke, Maddy blushed prettily at being caught staring while Mike looked momentarily uncomfortable for the same reason before they each caught themselves and the conversation continued.

"I think we've been set up," Maddy noted as she offered her hand to her first commanding officer. "It's good to see you again Mike."

"Yes, I think we have," Mike agreed dryly, shaking Maddy's hand while simultaneously shooting another glare at Max who, he noted, was looking altogether too smug sitting behind her desk. "It is good to see you as well Maddy. How have you been?"

"I've been good, been a bit starved of any patrol boat service lately, just came off eighteen months of officer exchange with the Brits," Maddy explained. "What about you? I hear you just saved the American Ambassador's life?"

"It was nothing," Mike waved the praise off, wincing slightly as his hand once again twinged.

"Modest as always," Maddy smiled reminiscently before the sound of a clearing throat interrupted the impromptu catch-up session.

"Now Mike, if you will excuse us, Maddy and I need to work through the logistics of the change in command," Max said, gesturing Mike out the door.

"Uh, sure, I'll go and get my new office ready," Mike nodded, returning the small wave from Maddy before leaving the office and closing the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Speech in parts of this chapter are taken directly from Sea Patrol Season 4 Episode 1 "Night of the Long Knives" and the introductory section is taken partially from the fanmade Sea Patrol website.


	2. Anchor's Aweigh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Cmdr. Mike Flynn now driving a desk, command of HMAS _Hammersley_ has been passed to new girl Lt. Cmdr. Maddy Norton, joined on the ship by two new junior warfare officers - Sub Lt. Brandon Hamilton  & Act. Sub. Lt. Rick Shaw - and a boarding officer - CPO Boatswain Paul Miller. As the crew relax on a secluded beach, Maddy reflects on the different personalities of the members of her new team before their relaxation is cut short by a call from NAVCOM.

### Chapter Two: Anchor's Aweigh

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1619 Hours Local - First Dog Watch**

Lt. Kate McGregor sighed in relief as she stepped from the oppressive humidity outside into the cool, air-conditioned comfort of NAVCOM North Headquarters. Removing her cover, Kate walked down the corridor running along one side of the building which held all the private offices, looking for her commanding officer who had brought her to the building by way of a cryptic text message. When she reached the office next to Maxine's, she nearly dropped her cover in surprise as she saw the sign on the door reading _Commander Mike Flynn - Operations Manager and Chief of Staff_.

"Congratulations, commander," Kate smiled as she stepped through the doorway and found Mike sitting at his new desk, looking like a kid in a candy store as he spun his chair back and forth, picking up and returning the phone to its cradle, brand spanking new shoulder boards bearing the triple gold rings of a full commander.

"Thank you, X," Mike replied as he looked up to find Max also walking into his office. "Uh, Maxine, this is Kate McGregor. Kate is my... was my executive officer on Hammersley," Mike explained.

"Kate, good you're here," Max said with a smile, gesturing out the door. "Hammersley's just been given the order to sail at eighteen-hundred. Come with me and I'll introduce you to your new CO."

"Uh... yeah, I better go," Kate nodded helplessly, gesturing to Mike that she had to follow Max. She felt a little hurt that Mike didn't look overly sad as he shrugged and nodded.

When Kate entered Max's office, she caught sight of the beautiful brunette woman already seated in a chair in front of the desk. Wondering to herself where the new Hammersley CO was, she was surprised when she was asked to sit and the COMNAVFORNORTH got straight down to business. "Now, I have no doubt that this will be a change for you both. Lieutenant Kate McGregor, this is Lieutenant Commander Maddy Norton, and she will be taking Commander Flynn's place as CO of Hammersley," Max explained, introducing the two officers.

"Ah, so you must be my new first lieutenant?" Maddy asked with a smile, offering her hand for Kate to shake. "Maddy," she added as an extra introduction.

"I'm Kate," Kate added, shaking the offered hand before giving into her confusion and asking, "First lieutenant?"

"Oh, right, sorry!" Maddy said apologetically. "I mean you must be my executive officer? First lieutenant is the Pommy name for XO."

"That's me. Call me X, everyone on the crew does," Kate replied with a smile. "So does this mean you're a Pom?"

"No, I don't think of myself as one, but I was born and bred on Sydney's northern beaches, but both of my parents are British immigrants and I did just spend the last eighteen months as a warfare officer on board HMS Edinburgh as part of the Anglo-Australian Officer Exchange Program," Maddy explained with a smile.

After the introductions were out of the way, Max pulled three service records out of an imposing pile of folders and handed them to Maddy and Kate to look over. "Lieutenant, I believe you mentioned to me last time you were here that Hammersley had been short staffed since Lieutenant Caetano, Petty Officer Tomaszewski and Seaman Webb left?" she asked, looking at the blonde officer.

"Yes, ma'am, I did. Commander Flynn and I had been working double watches with Swain and Charge just to cover officer of the watch duties," Kate nodded, shuddering involuntarily at her remembrance of these double watches.

"Well then, you will both be especially pleased to learn that along with Dutchy's permanent transfer to Hammersley and I've also managed to wrangle you two new officers and a chief petty officer boarding officer which I believe will bring you back up to full complement, they will report to the ship at sixteen-thirty" Max explained as she watched the new CO and her XO flick through the service records. "Now, about the operation..."

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class patrol boat**  
 **16 nmi north of Gore Island, Shire of Cook, the Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0600 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

"Call the hands, call the hands. Wakey, wakey, wakey," Dutchy's voice echoed through the ship on the 1MC before the sounds of the _Hammersley_ 's own wake-up song, "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC filled the small _Armidale_ -class patrol boat as it slipped through the water off the coast of the world's largest island, Dutchy sharing a smile with the electronics technician 2Dads.

"Best wake-up song ever!" 2Dads enthused as he reclined in the helmsman's chair.

"Don't I know it!" Dutchy agreed, having served on big ships and having heard everything from hardcore rock to Beethoven used as a wake-up call.

"Another fine Navy day is it, Dutchy?" Maddy said with a smile as she stepped up onto the bridge, looking out at the horizon as she moved to stand next to Dutchy.

"Looks like it, ma'am," Dutchy nodded. Despite the short amount of time he had spent on this ship, this being just his second patrol, he could already tell that Maddy, or Skipper as she asked to be called, was in many ways a very different CO to the previous one, and yet in others very similar. Dutchy had noticed that both Mike and Maddy had a very "Australian" approach, get the job done and worry about the consequences later, but while Mike tended to get target fixation, Maddy had so far steered clear of this while still managing to get the job done quickly and efficiently. He also noticed that like Mike, and quite unlike the XO, the Skipper got on well with every member of the crew, from Charge the crusty sea dog right down to the wide-eyed and innocent Jessica Bird the Gap Girl.

"Any issues overnight?" Skipper asked, looking between the two enlisted sailors.

"No ma'am. Just a quiet night on the high seas," 2Dads said with that infectious and near incessant grin of his, just as some of the other crew members arrived on the bridge including the XO and the Swain.

"Excellent," Maddy said with a smile of her own. "Now that our operation is out of the way, I'd like to take the opportunity to get to know all of you better, and I think we could all do with a break. XO, announce shore leave for all crew not on watch from oh-eight-hundred. Operation Relax is in progress."

"Aye ma'am," Kate said before picking up the radio handset and switching to the 1MC (the ship's "public address" system), "Do you hear there? XO speaking. All crew not on watch will have shore leave from oh-eight-hundred. That is all."

####  **Orton Island Beach**  
 **Orton Island, Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1102 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

The secluded and normally silent Orton Island Beach off the coast of Far North Queensland was alive with the sounds of a rowdy patrol boat crew blowing off some steam as part of Maddy's "Operation Relax", spearheaded by a light-hearted but still highly competitive game of touch rugby. Every member of the crew who had not been required on board ship for watch were on the beach, similarly clad in swimwear, which mostly consisted of board shorts and either singlet tops or bare chests for the men or bikini tops for the women, all of them glad of the opportunity to shed their Auscam Disruptive Pattern Naval Uniform (DPNU) for a few hours. Over the course of the morning, Maddy had, as she had planned, spent her time getting to know her crew better, many of whom she had only said a few words to through the course of their 11 day long operation. Taking a few moments to catch her breath, she pondered just what she had learned about her crew. The officer left in charge of the watch during Operation Relax was one of the newer members of the crew, Third Officer Sub Lt. Brandon "Rusty" Hamilton. Originally from country New South Wales, the redhead officer was relatively new to the Navy and to driving patrol boats, but so far had been doing well. A old-style country gentlemen, Rusty was the politest member of any crew that Maddy had ever served with.

The other two officers under her command were sitting off to the side, the senior imparting some of her wisdom and experience on the junior. Act. Sub Lt. Rick Shaw, dubbed simultaneously as "Artie" by the new boardo and "Rattles" by Charge, was fresh out of his commissioning ceremony and had been posted to Cairns to learn from some of the best small boat commanders in Australia. He was extremely charismatic and had all the makings of a fine officer and future CO, but Maddy had also noted that he spent a lot of time alone reading a well-worn copy of some unknown novel. Lt. Kate McGregor she had already known by reputation long before she joined the _Hammersley_ , knowing she had been given the nickname "Princess Perfect" at ADFA and at one point she had been on the fast track to get her star, at least until she served on a small patrol boat named _Hammersley_ and liked it so much that she stayed. Since then, the XO had prospered under Mike and Maddy already had a distinct feeling that she would be recommending her 2IC for a promotion within the next twelve months.

Maddy now took the time to look over at the enlisted members of her crew, and she watched as the ball was passed to the youngest member, Seaman Gap Recruit Jessica Bird, known almost universally by her surname only. Bird had only been aboard _Hammersley_ for a little over a month when Maddy had taken over, and the seventeen year old Melburnian had made no bones about the fact that she loves living and working in the tropics and is enthusiastic about all things to do with Navy life, except for the possibility of needing to use deadly force. Despite still being a teenager, Bird was a stunningly attractive young woman, and it was because of this that her presence was causing tension within the junior sailor ranks, especially causing jealousy from Able Seaman Chef Rebecca "Bomber" Brown. Bomber was one of the longer serving members of the crew, having been the "chefo" aboard _Hammersley_ since the commissioning of the _Armidale_ class boat in 2008. While Bomber still got on well with everyone, Maddy could see that the chef was rather vain, but because she had been aboard ship for two years she had come to be treated as "one of the boys", hardly spared an appreciative glances while both her new CO and the gap recruit got varying levels of appreciation from the single members of the mostly bachelor crew, and in a strange way, Maddy felt somewhat sorry for her.

Maddy's eyes followed as Bird deftly flicked a pass out to 2Dads who immediately set off like a bull at a gate, cackling evilly all the time. Leading Seaman Electronics Technician Leo Kosov-Meyer had been somewhat of a puzzle to his new CO. His double-barreled surname had gifted him the moniker of "2Dads", but unlike others may have, 2Dads copped it sweet being himself a practical joker at heart. His service record showed that in the past he had had many troubles with the law, and that he had joined the navy to avoid doing hard time. In his early months aboard, 2Dads had apparently caused troubles with the Navigation Officer at the time, Lt. Nikki Caetano, since 2Dads was replacing her (dead) fiancé, but over time he had settled into his role on ship, and it now seemed that he was a valued member of the crew. He still loved to joke around, but at least now he knew not to cross the line and the crew had come to know that he could actually be relied on.

Maddy's gaze then moved over to look at the ship's senior sailors which, despite two relatively new arrivals, were already a fairly tight-knit group. Chief Petty Officer Boatswain Paul "Dusty" Miller was the newest of the four to the ship, but was, as the Boardo, the most senior enlisted man above decks and, along with the Buffer, the man in charge of leading boarding evolutions. Hard-working and dedicated, Dusty's fit-reps indicated that if there was anything about weapons, boardings or seamanship, it probably wasn't worth knowing. The oldest and longest serving sailor on _Hammersley_ was Chief Petty Officer Marine Technician Andy "Charge" Thorpe and was the senior enlisted man below decks. Just like with Dusty, if there was anything Charge didn't know about diesel engines or the Navy and its traditions, it definitely isn't worth knowing, and despite his gruff exterior, Maddy had seen a couple of hints that Charge had a heart of gold and would be willing to go out on a limb for the crew if needed. By his own admission, Charge was old enough to have served on every class of patrol boat that the Navy had used, serving for two months on the last of the _Attack_ class boats, moving onto the _Fremantles_ and finally serving on the _Armidale_ class _Hammersley_. Charge loved his engines, and from what Skipper had seen, he loved them more than he did himself, his most frequent remark to Maddy since coming on board was "my life isn't as important as these engines". Nevertheless, this old man of the navy was well loved by the crew and from what the new CO understood, had more than earned his place on board ship several times over.

The second newest of the senior sailors was Petty Officer Boatswain Dylan Mulholland, serving as the Chief Boatswain's Mate, the "buffer" between the four officers and the twenty enlisted on board the boat. Dutchy, as he was known thanks to his surname, had served two tours in the Gulf and was an expert on boardings, having boarded everything from FFVs to pirate vessels. Petty Officer Naval Police Coxswain Chris Blake, known to everyone as the Swain, was very close to the heart and soul of the ship. Well known to everyone and well respected, it is his job to maintain health and discipline while on board, operating as both medic and policeman, while also being the most experienced helmsman, the one who drove the ship during the toughest of evolutions, something he seemed to take great pride in. Maddy knew that as Swain was in charge of the alcohol supply on board, he couldn't expect to be universally loved, and yet he had, at the very least, the respect of everyone on board, and when Swaino spoke, they all listened.

Of the members of the crew she had most often encountered so far, that left just Leading Seaman Communication Information Systems Operator (LSCIS) Robert J. Dixon, known as RO, or Ro, was the ship's main link between itself and the shore, all communications be it internet, satphone or radio went through his console or the Communications Centre (ComCen) which Maddy had observed was run like his own private kingdom and only his able assistants and of course the Skipper were allowed in there without permission.

Done thinking about her crew, Maddy spotted her moment for more bonding, and a bit of showing off, shooting over from her position, intercepting a pass from 2Dads to Swain with a skill belying her small, lithe figure and taking off, running the full length of the makeshift beach rugby field before diving full length to score the try, rising to the raucous cheering and applause of the whole ship's company, well those not on watch at least.

The cheers were interrupted, however, by the sound of Dutchy yelling out from his position next to the esky. "Ma'am? It's Ro!" He informed her, holding up the portable radio to be clear what was going on. "NAVCOM has ordered us to Thursday Island, there was a collision between a coastal trader and a Navy ship, unknown number of casualties. We're the closest asset!"


	3. Ulterior Motives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The _Hammersley_ finds its rest  & relaxation cut short when news reaches them of a collision between a coastal trader and HMAS _Diamantina_ in the waters surrounding Thursday Island. Back in Cairns, NAVCOM receives a request from a very unusual young British naval officer for an escort through the Samaru Islands for HM Ships _Illustrious_ and _Edinburgh_. Meanwhile, the situation at Thursday Island escalates when an approaching cabin cruiser explodes in what appears to have been a failed terrorist attack.

### Chapter Three: Ulterior Motives

####  **_From Chapter Two:_**

_Done thinking about her crew, Maddy spotted her moment for more bonding, and a bit of showing off, shooting over from her position, intercepting a pass from 2Dads to Swain with a skill belying her small, lithe figure and taking off, running the full length of the makeshift beach rugby field before diving full length to score the try, rising to the raucous cheering and applause of the whole ship's company, well those not on watch at least._

_The cheers were interrupted, however, by the sound of Dutchy yelling out from his position next to the esky. "Ma'am? It's Ro!" He informed her, holding up the portable radio to be clear what was going on. "NAVCOM has ordered us to Thursday Island, there was a collision between a coastal trader and a Navy ship, unknown number of casualties. We're the closest asset!"_

####  **Orton Island Beach**  
 **Orton Island, Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1156 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

"A Navy ship? What Navy ship?" Maddy asked as all other sound on the beach ceased in disbelief.

"HMAS Diamantina, ma'am," Dutchy informed her promptly. "No more details at this point but the quickest they can get a medevac chopper there is over ten hours. HMAS Success is also en route to provide medical assistance but we are the closest navy ship."

"Okay, listen up everyone! We have a collision at sea near Thursday Island!" Maddy barked, taking control. "We have likely casualties. Swain, Bomber, Bird, I want the three of you to prep the wardroom. Let's stow this gear and get going. Time is of the essence here people!"

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the coast of Cape York, Shire of Cook, the Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1220 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Are we up and ready, X?" Maddy asked as she walked back onto the bridge deck, wearing the distinctive uniform of the Navy, the Auscam patterned DPNU that had been issued to all patrol boat crews just twelve months ago.

"Yes, skipper," Kate confirmed.

"Very well, set course for Thursday Island, top of the green!"

"Aye ma'am! Port 15, steer 3-5-0. Full ahead both engines, revolutions 2-0-0-0!" Kate nodded, turning around to address Dutchy sitting at the helm.

"15 of port wheel on, ma'am. Steering 3-5-0. Full ahead both engines, revolutions are 2-0-0-0," Dutchy confirmed as he set the new course and powered the engines up to full power.

"Very well, XO you have the ship and I'll be in my cabin if you need me!" Maddy told her second in command before turning and making her way down the stairs to her cabin on the deck below.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command - Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1305 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

Mike sat in his office with the radio tuned to 106.7 ABC Far North when something of interest in the news caused him to turn the volume up higher, _"... a Department of Defence spokesperson has revealed yesterday that the Royal Australian Navy will be receiving the first of a class of twenty vessels expected to replace four separate warship classes as early as 2012, Stephen Porter with the latest."_

_"I'm here at Cairns Naval Base in Far North Queensland, where senior defence officials, including Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Logan Morrell, and Minister for Defence John Faulkner, gathered yesterday to meet with a team from Austal Shipbuilders, the company that built the Armidale class patrol boat and also the United States' Independence class, to discuss the acquisition of the new vessels._

_"The new class of twenty vessels will be a smaller variant of the Independence class with a multi-mission capability allowing the ships to perform survey, mine warfare or patrol duties at various times, winning out against a design by Huntingdon Ingalls based on the US Coast Guard National Security Cutter. Minister Faulkner also revealed today that the lead ship will be named HMAS Hero, with the remaining ships of the class expected to be named for Australians who have won the Victoria and George Crosses and the Cross of Valour. The procurement schedule released today shows that the first two vessels, Hero and the as yet unnamed second vessel will be launched and commissioned in early 2012, with two more to follow by the end of that year._

_"The Littoral Multi-role Vessels, as Austal has dubbed them, will be multi-crewed, as are the Leeuwin and Armidale class boats they will replace. The final design for the LMVs is expected to be released to the public tomorrow morning, but we can reveal that the vessels will be capable of carrying and operating the Australian Air Force and Fleet Air Arm MRH-90 multi-role helicopter for helping with the vessel's multi-mission role. This is Stephen Porter, ABC News Radio."_ This news surprised him, especially since he had not been aware that the CDF, CN and Minister had all been in Cairns.

"Uh, sir? Commander White would like you in her office for her next meeting," one of the many junior officers at NAVCOM stuck his head into Mike's office to pass on the message.

"Thanks Lieutenant," Mike nodded, standing from his desk and moving towards the door.

####  **1315 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Ma'am, your 13:15 is here," Max's yeoman informed the two officers in Max's office.

"Very good able, send them in," Max said, nodding in recognition.

Mike looked on in surprise as the Chief of Navy was followed into the office by a young woman in her twenties wearing a British Royal Navy Blue No. 1C uniform with the sleeve insignia of a Sub Lieutenant, regaining himself quickly enough to snap to attention in front of his service chief. "Commander White, Commander Flynn, at ease. This is Sub Lieutenant Lady Amelia Gordon, and she is the Staff Officer to the Official Royal Navy Liaison in Canberra," V. Adm. Morrell introduced his young companion.

"Lady?" Max asked with a raised eyebrow.

"My father is The Right Honourable Earl of Dover," the young Brit explained, "and as I told the Admiral before, while I might be his heir presumptive I do not wish to use any noble titles while I am serving in the Navy. Please call me Flash, or Amy."

"If I may," Mike started, looking at the Admiral for permission to continue, "without meaning to be rude, aren't most earldoms only able to be held by men? Additionally, what can we do for the Royal Navy?"

"Don't worry, sir, I get asked that a lot. The earldom was created for my great-great-grandmother and has special remainder that allows it to pass to both males and females. And what we need from the Royal Australian Navy is an escort for HM Ships Illustrious and Edinburgh from the north of the Samaru Islands through to Sydney, what with all the anti-monarchy protesting in Samaru since the coup," Amy explained.

"That makes sense, but wouldn't someone higher up the food chain normally take this job?" Mike asked wondering why a Sub Lieutenant was a staff officer to the Royal Navy Liaison, and why said staff officer was here rather than the Commodore holding the position of RNL.

"I should think so sir," Amy replied frankly. "My mother was a member of WRANS, an Australian, and she met my father while he was serving on board a frigate. I've been looking to emigrate anyway, so I think Admiral Stanhope might be trying to give me a leg-up towards joining your Navy, ma'am, sirs."

"I appreciate the frankness, Sub Lieutenant," Maxine admitted before stopping short, "wait...Admiral Stanhope?" Amy Gordon must be some officer to have the First Sea Lord trying to give her a leg-up the career ladder, joining another Navy, even.

"Yes, ma'am," Amy nodded. "Because the Samaru Islands are within reach of your operational area, and several patrol boats under your command have served in the Samaru Islands conflict, I think the Royal Navy Liaison and British Fleet Command had hoped that Naval Forces Command North might provide one of your Armidale class boats to escort Lusty and the Fortress of the sea through the Samaru Islands to HMAS Kuttabul," she added, explaining the RN's position.

"Understandable," Maxine nodded. "I'm assuming you would want to be on board during the voyage?"

"I think that is what Fleet Command and the Admiralty Board want of me, yes," Amy confirmed Maxine's thoughts.

"Very well. I think I can wrangle a boat for this. It will take a bit of jiggery-pokery, but I'll let you know ASAP," Maxine said after a few moments thought.

"Thank you, ma'am," Amy stood to leave, saluting Maxine as she did so.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Sub Lieutenant, just leave your contact details with my aide and I will contact you about that escort," Maxine said, and recognising the dismissal, Amy nodded her thanks then turned and left the office. "Now, Admiral sir, what can we do for you?"

"Just a heads up, Commanders, I was in Cairns and I was going to call all the NAVCOMs anyway. Parliament has just signed off on some radical changes to the military. These changes are going to be gradually brought in over the next few years," Adm. Morrell said, causing Mike and Max to share a look of shock, what they had just heard from the CN was not at all what was expected. Everyone knew that Parliament were talking about the military, but none of them expected anything to go through quite so soon.

"What kind of changes, sir?" Mike asked, not really sure if he wanted the answer.

"Big ones, Commander. Changes to the rank structure, as you heard, new boats are being procured, there's a new generation navy coming Mike, Max, and even talks of a unified Defence Command like up in Canada," The Admiral explained several shocking new snippets of news to the two Commanders. "I've got to get a wriggle on, I fly back to Canberra within the hour but I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone." With that, V. Adm. Logan Morrell stood and left the office, giving Mike and Max just enough time to salute before he was gone, leaving two shocked officers in his wake.

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **near Thursday Island, Shire of Torres, the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1500 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Ma'am, we have the coastal trader and the Diamantina visual on the EOD," 2Dads reported as the patrol boat approached Thursday Island.

"Very good. Officer of the watch, bring the ship to FAIDEX stations. XO, I want you to lead this," Maddy ordered after a quick glance at the EOD to confirm the report.

"Aye ma'am," Kate replied.

"Aye ma'am," Dutchy echoed before picking up the microphone and speaking over the 1MC, "Do you hear there? Buffer speaking. We have sighted the stricken vessels and are preparing to render assistance. Hands to FAIDEX stations, hands to FAIDEX stations, hands to FAIDEX stations. Assume damage control state 3 condition Yankee."

_"Hammersley, this is the CO of the Diamantina, Lieutenant Commander Michael Johnson. You are a sight for sore eyes! Over,"_ crackled out of the radio. 

Hearing it was the CO of the minehunter on the radio, Maddy took it from RO and replied, "Diamantina, this is Lieutenant Commander Maddy Norton, CO of the Hammersley. What's your sit-rep, over?" 

_"Our hull has been breached and we are leaking fuel, but currently our pump seems to be keeping up with the inflow,"/ _Lt. Cmdr. Johnson explained, _"we do however have injured on board. Three men were working in the engine room at the time of the crash. One has a broken leg, another two have head wounds. Over."_ __

"Very well, Diamantina," Maddy replied, "Success is en route as well to lend assistance and to help tow both boats back to port. For safety reasons we are gonna recommend moving all your personnel across to Hammersley. Over." 

_"I would tend to agree ma'am, I'll give the order and start moving personnel across, over,"_ the Diamantina skipper agreed. 

####  **1800 Hours Local - Last Dog Watch**

HMAS _Success_ had finally arrived on the scene and all the personnel had been transferred off the two damaged vessels in preparation for towing them back to Cairns. Both _Success_ and _Hammersley_ were maintaining a safe distance from the boats which were now surrounded by a mix of seawater and fuel when another vessel approached the damaged navy ship. The dark blue cabin cruiser was still over a kilometre off but was approaching at high speed when a lookout aboard _Hammersley_ spotted it. 

"Vessel on my starboard beam, this is Australian warship Hammersley," the voice of the XO blared over the loudspeaker. "You are entering a restricted area, turn north immediately!" 

"The vessel is not stopping, ma'am!" Charge noted as he held his binoculars up to his eyes which were trained on the fast-moving cruiser. 

"Give the warning again," Maddy ordered, "Charge three short blasts of the horn." 

"Vessel on my starboard beam, this is Australian warship Hammersley," the voice of the XO blared over the loudspeaker. "You are entering a restricted area, turn north immediately or we will be forced to fire on you!" The message was punctuated by three short blasts from the ship's horn. 

Not even warning shots from the Typhoon could stop the speedboat which never wavered from its course making a beeline for the crash sight. A rushed order came through from NAVCOM and once they were sure there were no civilians in range, a two shot burst sent the cruiser up in a ball of flames... a suspiciously big ball of flames. 

"Something isn't right here, that boat must have been jam-packed with explosives," Maddy gasped out, holding her ribs which felt quite tender after having hit the console hard when the ship shook from the force of the explosion. 

"Are you alright ma'am?" Swain asked as he too picked himself up off the floor. 

"I'm fine," Maddy assured the ship's medic although the steeled look Swain could see on his CO's face suggested anything but, and he suspected that she was actually in quite a lot of pain. "Seriously Swaino!" she protested when Swain moved to check her anyway. 

"With all due respect ma'am, you could have broken ribs," Swain shot back. 

"Fine!" Maddy huffed and turned to her 2IC, "XO, take the ship." 

"I have the ship, ma'am," the XO confirmed as the Skipper stalked off the bridge followed by Swain. 


	4. Three Sheets to the Wind (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the attack on the Diamantina, Hammersley returns to Cairns for a much needed week of leave and maintenance. While on leave, Mike and Katie rekindle the sparks from the first time they met. With two dates already down, it was only a matter of time before a relationship sparked between them.

### Chapter Four: Three Sheets to the Wind (Part One)

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1424 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Do you hear there? Captain speaking," Maddy's voice blared across the boat as the crew worked to moor it safely to the wharf. "The Hammersley is due to undergo maintenance for the remainder of this week and the whole crew has shore leave until Monday morning at oh-nine-hundred hours. Please be advised that the ship is still liable to be crash sailed if required so I highly recommend that you remain in the area and you remain in contact. That is all."

"So what will you being doing on your shore leave, skipper?" Dutchy asked as the crew filed off the _Hammersley_ to get out of the way of the marine techos already swarming all over the boat, most of them in civvies, but Maddy in summer whites.

"I'll be in and out of NAVCOM most of the week Dutchy, I've got reports to catch up on," Maddy said as she saluted the white ensign and walked the rest of the way down the gangway.

"Well are you at least gonna come out for a drink with us tonight, skipper, X?" the buffer continued, looking from one officer to the other.

"Nah, not tonight Dutchy, I've got a friend in town for a couple of days," Kate explained, shaking her head.

"I'm sure I'll be able to find the time," Maddy said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Excellent," Dutchy said with a grin, "2Dads owes us a couple of shouts from when we were last in Gove so the more he has to buy the better."

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command - Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1500 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Oh, Mike?" Max said, grabbing the arm of her friend as he walked past on his way to the wardroom off to one side of the building.

"What is it Max?" Mike asked as followed his boss into her office, stopping to lean casually against her filing cabinet.

"I finally scrounged up a new XO for the Kingston, she reported to the ship this morning," Max held up a file as her reply. "I just wanted your take on my choice since you know her."

"Fair enough, Max, although I do trust your judgement. And you're OIC anyway so you don't need my input, but..." Mike trailed off as he actually opened the file and saw the photo of the new Executive Officer of _Hammersley_ 's rival and sister ship HMAS _Kingston_. "Lieutenant Nicolina Caetano, huh? So you're sending Nav to the dark side?" he joked.

"I know I don't need your input, Mike," Max rebuked, "but she is the best qualified candidate and you know her better than any other officer at NAVCOM."

"I'm sure she will be an excellent XO for the Kingston, when she was on Hammersley she wasn't quite ready from command but back then she was still waiting for a vacancy at PWO training, and I'm sure Smudge will help her settle in," Mike said, he'd always had confidence that Nikki would one day be able to step up as an officer.

At that moment, Mike looked through the wide bank of windows that separated Maxine's office from the bullpen and noticed Maddy Norton walking past. Just then, she turned to see him looking, smiling brightly and waving before continuing on to wherever she was going.

Max watched the interaction with a calculating smile, especially when Mike raised his hand in greeting with a wry look, as if he was deliberately holding back. "I hope you know what you're doing, Mike!" she said, breaking her chief of staff out of his momentary stupor.

"Huh? What do you mean by that, Max?" Mike puzzled.

"Maddy likes you, Mike!" Max said firmly, trying to get it through Mike's thick skull. "From what I can see she's liked you for a long time but things have got in the way." Max sensed her opportunity to play matchmaker for her friends, although she was still unsure just why she wanted to. Nevertheless, she pressed home the advantage, "I know, and I'm sure that somewhere deep down both you and Kate know, that a relationship between the two of you would never work, you've been dancing around it too long. You and Lieutenant Commander Maddy Norton on the other hand..."

Mike's mental alarm bells were blaring, screaming at him to run away, so he interrupted Max, gesturing wildly towards his office, "I just have some paperwork I want to get finished before I head out for the day. If that's all, Max...'

"Yeah, that's all Mike," Max nodded with a smirk and Mike turned and left the office.

####  **The Grand Hotel**  
 **McLeod & Shields Sts., Cairns, Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1754 Hours Local - First Dog Watch**

Any ambiance that the bar at the Grand Hotel might have had was shattered as the loud and rowdy crew of the HMAS Hammersley walked through the doors, loudly greeting the publican and some of the local barflies before crowding around three tables in one corner of the bar. Maddy, on the other hand, strolled over to the bar and ordered a glass of House Shiraz before moving to take a seat at the same table as Mike Flynn who she had noticed waving her over.

"Fancy seeing you here Mike," Maddy said with a radiant smile as she took a seat opposite him. She took a moment to look over her superior officer, mentally grinning at how well he scrubbed up, even in something as something as simple as jeans and a shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows.

"Yeah, fancy," Mike said with a smile. "You scrub up pretty well out of your uniform.' he added, inwardly cursing himself as soon as the words left his mouth. _"You haven't seen her for seven years Mike, just 'cause Max says she likes you doesn't mean it's true! For all you know she has a boyfriend!"_ he berated himself mentally.

He was, therefore, surprised when her infectious smile grew even wider and her cheeks coloured slightly, and he admitted to himself that she was still very attractive in the same girl-next-door kind of way. "Thanks, Mike. You scrub up pretty well yourself," Maddy replied, taking a sip of her wine as she did so.

"So, you looking after Hammersley?" Mike asked, looking desperately to change the subject.

"Like a duck to water, Mike. I love the small boats, it's what I joined the navy, I remember watching Patrol Boat as a kid," she admitted. "It's a fine ship and a wonderful ship's company."

"Yeah, I vaguely remember you mentioning having a crush on one Andrew McFarlane?" Mike asked cheekily, before adding "Small boats are definitely the heart and soul of the navy."

"Yes indeed they are, but with all due respect, sir, if you ever mention **anything** about **any** of our conversations on the Balikpapan, I will drag you onto the Hammersley and **keelhaul you**!" Maddy replied lowly, putting careful emphasis on her threat.

Unbeknownst to Mike and Maddy, 2Dads looked across from his position with the rest of the crew and seeing the old and new commanding officers of _Hammersley_ in the midst of an animated conversation, he glanced at Dutchy and Swain and winked conspiratorially. Seeing this, Swain started shaking his head rapidly, "No, no, no, 2Dads, what are you thinking about this time? I know that look."

"I'm just wondering what Skipper and the boss are talking about," 2Dads replied, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Probably boring command stuff, 2Dads. Don't even think about it!" Swain said. "We're going somewhere else."

"Come on, buggaluggs!" Charge agreed, hefting 2Dads to his feet and near dragging him out of the bar, nodding amicably to the publican as they left. As Dutchy, Charge and Swain escorted 2Dads from the premises, they passed Lt. Cmdr. Darryl Smith and Lt. Nikki Caetano on the way in. Giving their orders to the publican, the pair walked over to join Mike and Maddy. "Darryl," Mike grinned, standing up to shake his friends hand. "And Nikki!" he added as Darryl moved aside and he was embraced by the Italian-Australian navigator-turned-Principal Warfare Officer.

Moving back, he gestured from Maddy first to Darryl then Nikki. "Maddy, this is Lieutenant Commander Darryl Smith, known as Smudge to some, and this is Lieutenant Nicolina Caetano."

"Mike! You know better!" Nikki chastised her former CO before she turned to Maddy with her trademark smile which was mirrored by the more senior officer, "Nikki, on pain of death."

"And, Darryl, Nikki, this is Lieutenant Commander Maddison Norton, commanding officer of HMAS Hammersley," Mike said completed the introductions.

"Maddy," the woman in question interjected with a playful huff when Mike used her hated full name.

"I believe you forgot to mention that she is your date, Mike?" Darryl smirked, having heard the rumours that had been racing around Cairns Naval Base even after they had only been seen interacting at NavCom.

Mike started gabbling something, which only got worse when Maddy grabbed Mike's arm and laid her head against his shoulder, resulting in Mike blushing bright red.

"You're not nervous about people knowing are you?" Nikki joined in on the attack.

"No, no, not at all," Maddy exclaimed, placing a kiss right on the corner of Mike's mouth, Mike looking like he was waiting for the earth to swallow him whole, especially when the remaining sailors nearby chipped in with wolf whistles, cheers and hollers.

####  **Lt. Cmdr. Maddy Norton's Residence**  
 **Jones Street, Westcourt, Cairns Region, Queensland**  
 **2143 Hours Local - First Watch**

Driving through the quiet suburban streets of Cairns, Mike glanced sideways at the woman beside him who was looking out the window towards her house. "It's just this one here, Mike," she said and he deftly pulled up in the driveway behind the Holden Astra sitting there, putting the car into park and engaging the handbrake.

"I'll walk you to your door," Mike said as he unclipped his seatbelt and stood from the driver's seat, dashing around to hold open Maddy's door for her.

As Mike escorted Maddy to her front door, she started to thank him, "Mike, you didn't have to. I'd only had a few wines, I could've taken a taxi."

"I know you could've Mads, but it's on my way anyway and I only had one light beer, so it was no trouble," Mike assured her as they stepped onto the portico and she had to scrabble around in her handbag for her house keys.

"Well thank you, Mike," Maddy finished sincerely, unlocking the house before turning back once more and kissing him chastely on the lips before heading inside. "See you at NAVCOM tomorrow morning!"

Mike stood stock still in his place for a few seconds, touching his lips absently with his fingertips before shaking himself and saying, "Uh yeah bye," even though it went unheard, as he returned to his car and pulled away.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command - Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0745 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

"So what exactly are you doing in here so early, Mike?" Max asked from the doorway to her Chief of Staff's office.

Mike looked up with a wry smile, "Well I've got these op orders to go out to all the patrol boat COs today and they needed some fine-tuning. I thought I'd come in early and, with a bit of luck, be done early."

"You doing paperwork voluntarily?! Anyone would think you're trying to avoid someone," Max said offhandedly, but her eyes bulged when a guilty look crossed Mike's face. "You are? You're not avoiding Maddy are you?" Max glared accusingly.

"Uh yeah, I am," Mike said, a thoroughly guilty look on his face.

"Why on earth are you avoiding her?" Max asked and Mike could sense that his academy classmate was starting to build up a dangerous head of steam.

"Because she kissed me," Mike said rather meekly and Max suddenly looked as if she lost all the wind out of her sails and her look softened slightly.

"She kissed you," Max repeated. "Maddy kissed you and now you're trying to avoid her like an embarrassed teenager? Mike, she likes you! Get it into your thick skull!"

"But what about Kate McGregor?" Mike shot back.

"I told you yesterday! A relationship between you and Kate McGregor would never work because you've been dancing around it too long and she's lost faith, not to mention the fact that she fell in love with Jim Roth when she was supposed to be in love with you," Max ranted before stopping again, a slightly evil look crossing her face as she remembered one of her appointments for the day. "You let me worry about Lieutenant McGregor! You just make sure that you take a lunch break after Maddy comes by to pick up the Hammersley op orders," Max added with a wink.

####  **1145 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

A knock on the door caused Mike to look up from his piles of paperwork momentarily before looking back down. "Enter!" he called.

He heard the door open and a nervous voice reached his ear, "Hi, Mike."

Mike finished signing a form with a flourish and looked up, smiling as he replied. "Maddy, what can I do for you?" he asked, mentally questioning why they both suddenly seemed to be acting like a pair of teenagers about to go on their first date.

"Well, I just finished the paperwork I had to get done today, and I was wondering if you were doing anything for lunch today?" she asked him by way of reply.

"That depends," Mike countered, silently cursing Max for putting him up to it, "on whether you are offering?"

Maddy blushed lightly, realising that she was caught out, but swiftly turned the tides. "Of course I am," she smirked, leaning demurely against the doorframe.

"Well, then, I guess I am," Mike nodded with a smile.

####  **The Grand Hotel**  
 **McLeod & Shields Sts., Cairns, Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1213 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

Mike opened the door for Maddy, gesturing her into the cool air-conditioned comfort of the Grand Hotel, located in the middle of Cairns. "G'day Mike, table for two?" The waitress asked as she walked over.

"Uh, yes thanks, Shirley." He nodded and Shirley led them over to a quiet table in the corner of the dining room, their summer white uniforms standing out in stark contrast to the rest of the patrons.

"What'll be, Mike?" The waitress asked, and Mike looked pointedly at Maddy, gesturing her to order first.

"I'll just have a porterhouse with vegies, thanks," Maddy decided after a few moments scanning the menu.

"Just my usual, Shirley," Mike added.

"Okay," The waitress nodded, making a note on her order pad. "Any drinks while you wait?"

Mike thought about it for a moment, decided that alcohol probably wasn't the best idea today, "Just water for me."

"Make it two," Maddy added before looking back at Mike, offering him an explanation. "I don't normally drink much, so that wine last night will probably last me the week," she said with a soft smile.

"Don't spread that around," Mike chuckled. "With Charge and 2Dads, and probably Dutchy too, around most of the locals are under the impression that us Navy folks drink to excess whenever we can. You'll ruin our reputation."

"Oh I wouldn't presume to ruin the Navy's reputation as a band of drunks," Maddy replied, smirking mirthfully, looking around conspiratorially.


	5. Three Sheets to the Wind (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Mike and Maddy getting closer, XO feels like she is being left out in the cold. But when SAS Capt. Jim Roth returns to Cairns for a counter-terrorism operation and meets up with her, she comes to realise that perhaps it wasn't Mike she truly loved after all. Finally, X is able to let go of Mike and maybe, just maybe she will be able to move on in life with Jim by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING:** Some suggestive adult and sexual themes ahead.

### Chapter Five: Three Sheets to the Wind (Part Two)

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command - Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1210 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

Maxine White watched with interest as Kate McGregor wandered into NAVCOM and made a beeline for the window to Mike's office, watching as her shoulder's fell when she saw his office empty. "Lieutenant McGregor?" she called from across the bullpen, putting the file she was reading down and moving across to the junior officer. "I'm glad you're here, I was just about to call you."

"Um... actually I was here hoping to have lunch with Commander Flynn," Kate said, still looking around for the man in question.

"Oh, well he's actually out at lunch with Lieutenant Commander Norton," Max replied, "but I need you here. After that terrorist attack on the Diamantina, the government have started a joint ASIO, AFP and SAS task force to investigate, identify and neutralise the terrorist threat." Max noticed something interesting when, despite her sadness that Mike would not be there to have lunch with her, Kate perked up just slightly at the mention of the SAS. "With the Task Force being based in Cairns," Max pressed on, "the leader of the SAS contingent requested a meeting with you. He'll be here at 1215. You can use my office."

"Thank you, ma'am," Kate said and Max could tell she was already looking forward to seeing SAS Capt. Jim Roth again.

####  **1215 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Knock knock," a rough voice which Kate knew well said from the door as he matched his words to his actions, knocking on the doorframe. "Long time no see, sailor!" Capt. Jim Roth of the Special Air Service Regiment smiled as he leant casually against the doorframe.

"Real long time, soldier boy!" Kate shot back, privately surprised at how quickly and easily she fell back into banter with Jim. "So why'd you want to speak to me? Last I saw you was when you were wishing me a happy life with Mike."

"That's true," Jim conceded, "but that was when you and he were teetering on the edge of a relationship. I figure if you aren't together by now, especially since he's off the boat, you're never going to be."

"Especially now that he's with Maddy Norton," Kate muttered although she was surprised at how little jealously flared up when she thought of her old and new commanding officers in a relationship together.

"Well if he's in a relationship, what's stopping you?" Jim asked.

"Nothing I can think of," Kate replied with a knowing smile.

"Well, in that case, what do you say we have dinner tonight?" Jim asked lowly.

"My place, eight o'clock," Kate replied with a smile, already looking forward to dinner.

####  **1440 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Took a long lunch did you?" Max said with a cheeky smile as Mike walked into the building more than three hours after he left, a cheerful smile on his face.

"Just doing what my boss told me to do, Max," Mike said jovially as he headed to his office to dive headlong into an afternoon's worth of paperwork. "At least I didn't come in looking like I was three sheets to the wind," he added over his shoulder. Max just watched him go with a chuckle.

Mike stepped into his office and placed his cover down on the table just as his telephone rang. Moving across to his desk, he took a seat and spun the chair around to answer the phone, "NAVCOM North, Commander Mike Flynn speaking."

 _"Hello, Commander Mike Flynn speaking,"_ the voice on the other end of the line said and Mike instantly recognised it as Maddy.

"Hey Maddy, what's up? You only spoke to me like ten minutes ago?" Mike asked, leaning back in his chair and surveying the bullpen through the large window.

"Uh yeah, I know, but I wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed lunch," Maddy replied, her voice wavering as she hesitated.

"I'm glad Mads, so did I," Mike agreed, wordlessly prompting her to continue.

 _"And I was... kind of hoping that we could... maybe have dinner tonight, at my place?"_ Maddy asked and Mike could tell that she was desperately hopeful that he would say yes.

"Maddy? It's a date," Mike said with finality and he could have sworn he heard a breathy _"Yes!"_ but covered up by a sigh and with the phone interference he couldn't be sure.

 _"Excellent,"_ Maddy sighed in relief, _"ummm, be here at about 1830, you don't have to bring anything."_

"Great, I'll see you then," Mike agreed, his smile widening unconsciously.

 _"See ya!"_ Maddy farewelled him before there was a click and then phone went dead.

####  **Lt. Cmdr. Maddy Norton's Residence**  
 **Jones Street, Westcourt, Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1830 Hours Local - Last Dog Watch**

Maddy brought the wooden spoon to her mouth and sipped carefully, testing the sauce to ensure that it was just right. After all, she wanted everything to be perfect when Mike arrived. Rather than a more formal dress, she had opted for a long, flowing and flowery skirt with a nearly skin-tight black shirt with simple sandals and her usual lack of outlandish or garish jewellery, but from what she remembered of Mike from their service together on HMAS _Balikpapan_ , that is how he liked things, nice and simple, not garish. With one final taste of the sauce, Maddy smiled, it was just right.

A knock on the door distracted her, and putting her tea towel and wooden spoon down and lowering the heat, she smoothed down her dress before moving to the front door. Taking another moment to gather herself, Maddy reached forward and pulled open the door, a genuine smile breaking out across her face as she took in the sight of Mike dressed smart-casually, a pair of beige coloured slacks matched with a dark blue, almost black, long-sleeved button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

When Mike offered a bouquet of jonquils, her favourite flower, and a bottle of Cabernet Blanc white wine, her smile widened even more. "Mike! They're beautiful," she gushed, accepting the flowers with a soft and lingering kiss on the cheek. "Come on through to the dining room, dinner's just about ready," Maddy added, leading Mike into the room in question before excusing herself to go and find a vase.

"Thank you for inviting me," Mike said sincerely as he leant against the breakfast bar and watched her work, "is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually, I'm just about done," she assured him as she placed a small sprig of parsley on top of each plate of lovingly prepared spaghetti alla puttanesca. "You could pour us both a glass of wine though," she added sweetly as she picked up the plates and carried them over to the dining table.

####  **2145 Hours Local - First Watch**

After dinner had finished, Maddy had waved off Mike's suggestion that he should leave and instead had managed to get him to consent to watching a movie with her. When she slipped a DVD into the player and joined Mike on the couch and immediately curled up against him, she noticed that he was quite tense, but as the first scenes of the all-time classic movie Casablanca filled the screen, she was glad to feel the object of her desires relax and within moments he had wrapped his arm around her and pulled her just slightly closer.

While Ilsa Lund and Rick Blaine (played by Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart) were having their one last night together on screen, Mike glanced sideways at Maddy, and before either of them knew it, they were leaning in and their lips met in a soft kiss. As the desire which Mike had ignored since their "reunion" broke free, the kiss grew more and more heated until the gentleman in Mike brought it to an end. "I better go," he said softly as they rested their foreheads together.

"Why?" Maddy pouted even though she was grinning like the cat that got the canary.

"Because I have work tomorrow, and because I don't want this to move too fast, you deserve better than that," Mike replied honestly.

"Okay," Maddy conceded, although she looked down at the ground until Mike lifted her chin up with two fingers.

"Here's looking at you, kid," he said in his best Bogie impression before pecking her on the lips once more as he stood up.

Maddy blushed prettily as she clambered off the couch and followed her new boyfriend (she supposed) to the door and waved goodbye as his car pulled away from the curb.

####  **Earlier...**  
 **Lt. Kate McGregor's Residence**  
 **Prescott Street, Kanimbla, Cairns Region, Queensland**  
 **1957 Hours Local - Last Dog Watch**

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

"Jim, come in, come in," Kate said as she opened the door and stepped to the side to let him enter. "How are you?"

"Well enough," Jim's rough voice replied as he followed Kate through into the kitchen. "And you, Kate McGregor? How goes the Navy?"

Kate simply looked at him for a moment, her eagle eyes trying to divine any hidden meaning, any hidden reason for Jim to be in her house before she started to speak, "Same old, same old. But why exactly are you here now? You left because I was hung up on Mike Flynn, you didn't write, not even occasionally, not phone calls and I find out from the papers that you received the Star of Gallantry in Afghanistan from the paper, FROM THE PAPER! And then you show up here, out of the blow, ask me to dinner and then ask ME how I'VE been? Oomph." Kate's rant was suddenly cut off when Jim grabbed her by the shoulders and captured her lips in a hard kiss.

"What was I supposed to do Kate?" Jim asked frustratedly once he broke the lip-lock. "You loved, or _thought_ you loved Mike Flynn! Why would I write or phone you when you wanted to be with another man? And that SG, I was just doing what any member of the Defence Force would have done. My men were in trouble, they were pinned down, I reacted, end of story. There were other times I did exactly that and I haven't been given any award for it."

Jim's frustrated words started to shake her out of the rage she had started to build up and Kate's hand flew to her mouth in shock when she realised that she had been very crass about the fact that Jim had put his life in danger for his team when it was indeed something that she would willingly do for any member of her crew, and as a member of the Patrol Boat Force, it was something she did most times they went out on patrol. "I'm sorry, Jim, that was so insensitive of me, if you wanna leave now I won't stop you," Kate said, hanging her head in shame.

"Hey, hey," Jim consoled, wrapping Kate up in a comforting hug, "you over-reacted a bit, so what? I'm not going anywhere. With Mike otherwise engaged, I was hoping you and I could give it another shot. Why would I leave?" Kate smiled wanly at the burly soldiers and buried her head deeper into the embrace.

####  **PONPC Chris Blake's Residence**  
 **Hartley Street, Portsmith, Cairns Region, Queensland**  
 **2014 Hours Local - First Watch**

Swain smiled and laughed as his three-year old daughter Chloe cuddled Charlie, their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel while the dog wagged its tail happily, recalling the words of his divisional officer four years ago, Lt. Nikki Caetano, telling him that although a navy father couldn't be there all the time, when he was there, it had to be "all the time" and since then he had tried to be so, being everything to Chloe and his loving wife Sally whenever he was home, and missing them intensely whenever he wasn't.

Hearing the laughter of her husband, Sally smiled and she almost hated to break it up, but Chloe had already been up almost an hour later than normal for the last three days. "Chloe baby, say night to daddy, it's time for bed now," she said as she entered the lounge room.

"Can't I stay mommy? I'm not sweepy," Chloe pouted and Sally had to admit how cute it looked, but she knew better than to back down or Chloe would still be bouncing off the walls at 2am.

"No baby, you have to go beddy-byes," Sally said.

"Awright," Chloe said, still struggling to pronounce the 'l' sound properly. "G'night daddy!" she added, hugging him and placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"Night princess," Swain said with a happy smile plastered across his face as Sally led their daughter out of sight and to her bedroom. When his wife returned and snuggled into his side as they sat side by side on the couch, he kissed her hair tenderly and whispered softly, "Peace at last."

Hearing this, Sally sat up from her position and when she settled again, she was straddling her husband's legs, her knees resting on the couch. "I think it's a bit early for peace," she whispered huskily before nibbling on his earlobe.

"Maybe you're right," Swain agreed as he in turn started kissing her neck before graduating to sucking.

"Chris," Sally said, fighting back a moan as his hands started to wander, "take me to bed or lose me forever!"

"Aye ma'am," he said with a hungry smile, standing up and hefting his wife with him, Sally wrapping her legs around his waist to help, the pair reached the bedroom and fell onto the queen bed as the door swung closed with a quiet click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The line Sally says in the final scene - "take me to bed or lose me forever!" - is taken from the 1986 action drama film Top Gun and is said by both Kelly McGillis and Meg Ryan at different points in the movie.


	6. Anything But Plain Sailing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddy is away at HMAS Creswell to give a group of guest lectures to new officers, but when HMAS Shepparton gets too close to the reef and loses a prop, Hammersley is the only available asset to lend assistance. Mike is crash-sailed as the temporary CO, and when Swain discovers Bomber and 2Dads in a compromising decision, it is Mike who has to make the tough call.

### Chapter Six: Anything But Plain Sailing

####  **HMAS _Shepparton_ \- _Paluma_ class Hydrographic Survey Motor Launch**  
 **Off the Coast of Cape York, Shire of Cook, the Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0834 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

The Royal Australian Navy's Hydrography Office were being pushed harder and harder to update the charts of Australia's northern waters, many of which were last surveyed by men such as Capts. Cook and Flinders. Because of this, the six survey boats - the two _Leeuwin_ class survey ships and the four _Paluma_ class survey motor launches were being forced to stretch their resources. It was for this reason that _Shepparton_ , normally working in tandem with either _Benalla_ , _Paluma_ or _Mermaid_ , was cruising alone through the Great Barrier Reef. The skipper of the navy operated catamaran, Lt. Cmdr. Chris Thomas watched on from the bridge of the vessel as it approached another stretch of the reef. Suddenly, the sound of metal rending on a solid surface was followed by the whole boat shuddering, and then by an alarm informing the bridge of engine failure. "Charge! Status report!" Thomas barked, looking over at POMT Tommy "Watchu" Willis, the Chief Engineer of the _Shepparton_.

"I don't know, sir," The engineer looked confusedly at his instruments. "The MarineLink seems to be telling me that the props are broken off. I'll have to send a diver down to have a look."

"See to it," Lt. Cmdr. Thomas ordered.

"Aye, sir," Willis nodded, reaching for the 1MC handset. "Swimmer of the Watch close up," boomed across the small boat.

Fifteen minutes later, Willis returned to the bridge to deliver the bad news, " Sir, one of the propeller shafts is bent and the other propeller has lost a blade. We're not going anywhere in a hurry. I don't have the supplies to repair this, we're gonna need a tow back to base."

"Very well," Thomas sighed. "XO, get onto Commander White, tell her we need a tow."

"Aye, sir," Lt. Jack Williams, the executive officer agreed as he left the bridge headed for the ComCen.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command - Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0915 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

"Now, Mike..." Max started as she and Mike stood in front of a chart and a board hung side by side on one wall of the "bullpen" at NAVCOM - the area where the various terminals for communication and planning were located. The chart depicted the areas of responsibility of NAVCOM North, and it's overlap with NAVCOM Central, based in Darwin. The board, a large sheet of metal painted white and criss-crossed with black tape in the shape of a grid served as a ship movement list, showing the expected movements of any ship under NAVCOM North command for any given day. "...it looks like the Hammersley is the only asset we have that we can get out there any time soon. Kingston is on a mission to the Tapau Islands, Childers and Launceston are doing engineering trials in the Western Arafura, Bundaberg is in Sydney and Wollongong is backing up Maryborough in the North West Shelf," Max noted after a few minutes studying the ship's movement list.

"But the ship can't sail without its skipper and Maddy..." Mike started, but he paused when Max raised an eyebrow and looked at him in an unsettling manner. "...the Hammersley CO," Mike corrected himself, refusing to buy into his academy classmate's silent teasing, "is still down at Jervis Bay doing those guest lectures on leadership and command for the new officers at Creswell."

"I'm sure dear... sweet... Maddy will not have any complaints if I leave the Hammersley in your... capable... hands temporarily," Max teased again, drawing out and emphasising her double entendre. "Anyway, moving on, the Shepparton has called in its position here," Max continued, pointing to a spot on the chart near the edge of the Barrier Reef. "I'm tasking Hammersley to go out there, have your Charge assess the damage and then tow the Shep back to port for repairs. I'll get the notice out to your crew, you go get your stuff, you sail in thirty minutes."

"Righto, I'll just run home and grab my sea bag then head over to the ship shall I?" Mike asked, already looking towards his office.

"Off you go then," Max nodded, waiting until Mike was about ten steps away before she called him back. "Oh, and Mike?" she called, waiting until he looked back. "Fair winds!"

"Thanks, Max. See you in a day or so," Mike said with a smile as nodded before he turned towards his office to gather his clobber.

####  **Earlier...**  
 **ABCK Rebecca Brown's Residence**  
 **Edgar Street, Bungalow, Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0742 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

Deep down, Bomber knew this was wrong, that she and 2Dads really shouldn't be in this situation, but every time he kissed her, every time he ran his hands down her body or through her hair, all rational thought went out the window and she found herself giving in to the passion, and before she had realised it, she had fallen in love with 2Dads, and fallen hard.

The glass screens around the shower creaked and groaned slightly as hands and wet bodies flew wildly around the small shower cubicle as the pair became more and more passionate in their embraces and soon enough moans and groans filled the otherwise quiet house, over the top of the sounds of running water.

####  **0920 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

Later, Bomber and 2Dads lay together, spooning against one another on the couch. "These last few months have been fun," Bomber sighed, reaching up languidly for another kiss.

"Definitely. I'm getting sick of all this hiding though!" 2Dads growled throatily. "I want to show my hot girlfriend off to the world," he added lustily.

_Da-ding-da-ding! Da-ding-da-ding!_

The sound of Bomber's message tone broke up the love fest as 2Dads read the message over Bomber's shoulder. "Looks like shore leave's cancelled," he said, frustrated that he was losing precious time in bed with Bomber. "We'd better get back to the ship."

"Let's not arrive together," Bomber said, as she always did after their secret passionate interludes, and like always, 2Dads nodded in agreement.

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Cairns Harbour, Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0950 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

"How does feel to be driving a boat again, sir?" Swain asked from the helm as he guided the boat through Cairns Harbour, heading towards open seas and the stricken survey motor launch out in the Coral Sea.

"Well, I have to say I've been enjoying a shore posting more than I ever thought possible, but it is absolutely fantastic to be back on the Hammersley, Swaino," Mike replied with a wide grin before turning to Kate, "X, set course for these coordinates," he said handing a sheet of paper to her.

"Aye, sir. ETA is approximately three hours," Kate informed him after a few moments consulting the GPS and planning her navtrack.

"Very good. X, take the ship, I'm going to get a brew," Mike said, already standing from his chair.

Aye sir, I have the ship," Kate nodded, taking the binoculars Mike handed to her and settling herself into her seat.

####  **Royal Australian Naval College**  
 **HMAS _Creswell_ , Jervis Bay Village, Jervis Bay Territory, Australia**  
 **0952 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

_Purrrrp-purrrp! Purrrp-purrrp!_

Maddy was shaken out of her thoughts, walking down the beach outside HMAS _Creswell_ by her phone ringing, all mental plans of her next guest lecture on Leadership and Command evaporating as she glanced at the screen of her Apple iPhone 3GS, the latest smartphone from Apple. Accepting the incoming call with a smile, she lifted the phone to her ear and answered, "Mike! I was wondering when you'd call."

 _"Hi Mads! I just wanted to let you know I might not be in town when you get home tomorrow,"_ Mike's voice crackled, he was clearly somewhere with weaker mobile coverage.

"Why not?" Maddy pouted, understanding, of course, that the navy was unpredictable, but even so she was sad her weekend plans had gone out the window.

 _"I'm temporary CO of Hammersley. We got crash-sailed out to the Barrier Reef, the Shepparton had some engine problems and the best CO in Cairns was unavailable. I hope I'm not stepping on your toes?"_ Mike joked.

"No not at all, love," Maddy replied before adding in jest, "just look after my ship and we'll get on just fine."

 _"It used to be my ship!"_ Mike protested.

"And now it's _mine_!" she shot back, wishing she could see his face (just so she could poke her tongue out at him).

 _"So how's things down there at Jervis?"_ Mike moved the conversation on to more personal things.

"Same old same old. Not as interesting as the Hammersley," Maddy replied, then when one of the instructors waved her over, she had to cut the conversation short. "Look, Mike, I have to go. Look after the Hammersley for me."

 _"Okay, love,"_ Mike replied before he heard the line go dead.

####  **HMAS _Shepparton_ \- _Paluma_ class Hydrographic Survey Motor Launch**  
 **Off the Coast of Cape York, Shire of Cook, the Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1235 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

The party from the _Armidale_ class patrol stepped onto one of the Royal Australian Navy's four catamaran style survey motor launches from the inflatable RHIB. "Welcome aboard the Shepparton, gentlemen, and lady.' Jack Williams, the executive officer of the _Shepparton_ , his DPNU name tag bearing the Maritime Geospatial Officer badge.

"Hello I'm Dylan Mulholland from NRMA Roadside Assistance responding to you're call out," Dutchy joked, offering his hand to the Lieutenant.

"Thank god you're here! We seem to have broken down," Williams played along. "And what about the rest of your posse, Dutchy I'd guess?"

"Of course that's me," Dutchy nodded an affirmative gesturing to his nametag.

"Andy Thorpe, Charge." "Leo Kosov-Meyer, 2Dads." "Rebecca Brown, Bomber." Each sailor raised their hand and introduced themselves in turn as Williams nodded in recognition.

Taking in the category badges of the _Hammersley_ sailors, Williams continued, "Charge, 2Dads, if you would follow me, I'll have our Charge show you to the engine compartment," before turning to a nearby sailor and saying, "Leader, can you help these guys setting up the tow?"

"Aye, sir," The Leading Seaman Hydrographic Systems Operator nodded, gesturing Dutchy and Bomber to follow him.

####  **1442 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"No, sir. There's no problem with engines themselves," Andy Thorpe informed the skipper of the survey vessel. "Just fixing the props will be enough to get you up and running again."

"That's a relief," Lt. Cmdr. Thomas sighed thankfully. "The hydrographic survey service has been running at full capacity for months, beyond capacity even to update the charts. The last thing we need right now is to lose a boat for a long period of time."

"Any idea why you're being pushed so hard?" Charge asked as he wiped his hands on the oily rag he always kept in his pocket.

"Not a iota of an idea. I just follow the orders," Thomas shrugged non-commitally, turning back to look out to the _Hammersley_ , now manoeuvring into place to start the tow back to Cairns.

"Well, we're done here," Charge said once he saw Dutchy step onto the bridge. "We'll head back across to Hammersley and get this little shindig on the road."

"Sure, and once again, much appreciated," Thomas nodded, following the senior sailors from _Hammersley_ out to the rear deck of the _Shepparton_ where the RHIB still stood waiting.

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the Coast of Cape York, Shire of Cook, the Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1430 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

_"Hammersley, this is Charge. We are returning to you. The tow is all set up and ready to go, over,"_ Charge's voice crackled over the speaker.

"Roger that Charge," Mike radioed in reply. He then looked back towards the helm, speaking to Swain, "Swain, bring the ship to specials."

"Aye sir," The coxswain replied. "Special sea dutymen and cable party close up, assume damage control state three condition X-ray," Swain's voice sounded through the ship as the portside RHIB returned to the boat.

####  **1500 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

Bomber and 2Dads found themselves with a moment alone on ship as the _Hammersley_ slowly towed the damaged survey motor launch back to port, and before they had time to think about the consequences, that pounced on each other. Bomber slowly pushed the door of the Junior Sailors' Mess closed before she stepped up to 2Dads, their tongues tangling once more in a dance they knew so well. Hands had just started to wander when the door swung open, and Swain leaned in. "Oh, Bomber, can you...?" he started but trailed off as he noticed the amorous embrace that the two junior sailors were in.

"Swain!" Bomber stepped away from 2Dads as if burnt, covering her mouth in shock of the realisation that she had just been caught red handed (and red lipped) breaking the fraternisation rules.

2Dads stared at the ship's police officer, speechless, until Swain lowered his eyes and gestured him out into the hall. "Get out!" Swain told him lowly, a dark look on his face, and it was all 2Dads could do to nod resignedly and leave.

####  **1525 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"I trust that you both know why you are here?" Mike asked as he looked between the ship's cook and electronics technician, and both could see the disappointment clear on their temporary CO's face. Both nodded and Mike pressed on with the hearing, "I have to ask, is there a sexual relationship going on between you?"

"Yes sir," both 2Dads and Bomber replied after exchanging a momentary glance. "But it only just happened!" 2Dads added, hastily tacking on "sir" apologetically when Mike glared at him.

"You both know the regulations," Mike said, ignoring the protest.

"You can't help who you fall in love with!" Bomber added her own protest which brought a wry smile to 2Dads' face.

"That is neither here nor there," Mike said, feeling slightly hypocritical after his own relationship with then Sub Lt. Kate McGregor. "It is bad enough that you had a relationship against the regulations, but what's more, you brought it on the boat. You should have gone straight to your commanding officer, or your divisional officer, when you first had these feelings and we could have dealt with it then. But now, I can't overlook the fact that you have brought it onto the boat. I will be recommending to Lieutenant Commander Norton and Commander White that one, or both of you will have to be posted off Hammersley."

"I will, sir," Bomber said, marginally beating out 2Dads. "It was my fault. 2Dads wanted to follow the rules, I encouraged him otherwise."

"You do realise this will affect your promotion?" Kate asked, speaking for the first time since the impromptu hearing had begun.

"Stuff it, ma'am," Bomber said carelessly.

"Very well," Mike said with finality. "When we arrive back at port, I will liaise with Commanders White and Norton and arrange for your transfer. It make take a couple of weeks."

"Thank you, sir," Bomber nodded at her temporary commanding officer.

"In the meantime, however, you will continue with your duties," Mike added, raising his voice to emphasise the next phrase, "in strict observance of the rules."

"Aye sir," Both sailors nodded.

"I'm very disappointed, in both of you. Dismissed," Mike said and both Bomber and 2Dads came to attention before they filed out of the ship's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Bomber/2Dads subplot in this chapter is based partially on _Sea Patrol 4: The Right Stuff_ Episode 15, _Flotsam and Jetsam_.


	7. Universal Donor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When _Hammersley_ makes a gruesome discovery at sea, the steaming party of a SIEV are drawn into the seedy underworld of organ trafficking led by notorious American "businessman" Walter Berkleman. Swain is forced at gunpoint to remove one of Bird's kidneys but the distraction caused by the _Hammersley_ 's boarding party is enough to allow the near distraught coxswain to overpower his guard. Meanwhile, LSCK Toby "Chefo" Jones returns to the ship as the temporary chef.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Parts of this chapter are taken from, or based on, _Sea Patrol 4: The Right Stuff_ episode 8 _Universal Donor_ and as such I do not own these sections, they belong to McElroy Media and the respective writer.

### Chapter Seven: Universal Donor

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the coast of Cape York, the Arafura Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1535 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

When Swain had revealed a cunning, if slightly cruel, plan to use Bird's attractiveness to entice the ship's company to agree to practicing CPR, Maddy had really wondered about the ship's medical officer. It was a brilliant way to get the crew to agree to undergo the necessary evil of CPR re-qualification, but it really made her wonder if Swain didn't have a slightly evil streak in him. However, when, in the midst of the CPR training the ship had had to dodge some kind of metal fridge floating in the middle of the Arafura, Swain's reaction to the contents of said fridge were more than enough to dispel these thoughts. When the fridge was opened to see a pile of fresh meat, and not just any meat, but organs - hearts and kidneys and livers and even a lung - the whole of the crew wretched and turned away in disgust.

"Swaino?" Maddy asked after her own wave of nausea had passed.

"Ma'am, this is not barbecue meat, these are human organs," Swain informed his CO with a disgusted look on his face while Maddy looked away, silently working through the possibilities.

"That's just wrong," Bomber's replacement on board and an old member of the crew from way back Leading Seaman Cook Toby "Chefo" Jones said as he surveyed the fridge.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command - Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1305 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"The Feds were VERY interested in your recent gruesome find," Maxine told the _Hammersley_ leadership team as Kate and Maddy sat down.

"So are we talking illegal organ trade?" Maddy asked looking between Mike and Max.

"Yeah, the Feds think they're being imported from Asia," Mike said as he leant back against a cabinet.

"Heading where?" Maddy asked, looking utterly disgusted that anyone could be in involved in something so reprehensible.

"Here, the US, Europe, Japan, goodness knows where else," Max said, shaking her head in frustration and her own disbelief of the whole situation.

"It's terrible to think that there are people anywhere poor and desperate enough to sell their organs," Kate said sadly.

"And people rich and desperate enough to buy them," Mike added from his perch while both Max and Maddy nodded in agreement.

"Now, the Feds think that the freezer has been in the water about three weeks, which means it was probably washed off the deck of the ship during Cyclone Tiogo near Papua," the NAVCOM commander said with a glance at the official AFP case file.

"That was a hell of a storm!" Maddy remembered.

"The freezer was a sophisticated unit, so the Feds were able to trace its purchase back to this man," Max told them, handing a photo across her desk, "a Walter Berkleman. He's an American citizen, and both he and his luxury cruiser, the Longview, have disappeared. There is a possibility that Mister Berkleman's boat went down in Tiogo and he is now sleeping with the fishes, but if not, it is highly likely that he has returned to Asia to organise another shipment."

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the coast of Cape York, the Arafura Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0915 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

With _Hammersley_ tasked to chase down the mysterious Mr. Berkleman, Bird had so far enjoyed her coxswain's duty rotation helping Swain with his policing and, to her delight, his medical duties. As she helped him pack away the medical supplies they had picked up while in Cairns, she admitted, for the first time that she was planning to study emergency health and train as a paramedic once her gap year was over in just two months time.

"That's a great thing to want to do, Bird," Swain said, seriously impressed by the seventeen-year-old gap recruit. "Maybe you could stay in and train as a navy medic?"

"Yeah, maybe," Bird nodded thoughtfully. "I have a few months to decide at least," she said after a moment, "but there's just one thing..."

"What?" Swain asked intrigued.

"Well, when we opened that freezer, the smell just turned my stomach! It's not a particularly good quality for a paramedic is it?" she asked nervously.

"Hey, there were quite a few battle-hardened sailors with their heads hanging over the side," Swain assured her, glad to see that it brought a smile, albeit small and unsure to the young girl's face.

Meanwhile, up on the bridge, RO gave some news to the officer of the watch. Rusty Hamilton looked at the paper in his hand and immediately checked his navtrack. "Dusty, pipe the CO to the bridge," he said, already plugging the coordinates in to the navigation equipment.

"Commanding Officer requested, bridge," Dusty's voice echoed over the boat.

Just over a minute passed before Maddy climbed the stairs onto the bridge. "What's up, Rusty?" she asked as she moved to stand next to her third officer.

"Coastwatch just spotted a SIEV twenty-six nautical miles north-west of us on a bearing of 3-4-0, Skipper," Rusty said, handing the sheet of paper to the Skipper.

"Very well, officer of the watch, come to course 3-4-0," Maddy ordered.

"Aye, ma'am. Port 10, steer 3-4-0!" Rusty turned around and addressed Dusty manning the helm.

"Port 10, steering 3-4-0," Dusty repeated as he set the new course and the ship started to turn.

####  **Suspected Organ Smugglers Boat**  
 **Off the coast of Cape York, the Arafura Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1315 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

As the MV _Kalinda_ approached, Swain asked himself over and over what possessed him to ask the Skipper to take Bird on the steaming party with him. Something just didn't feel right about this, but he wasn't quite sure what. Even though he had given permission for the vessel to come alongside, he had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Australian Navy! What a stroke of luck!" A thickly accented Italian voice said as one of the men from the _Kalinda_ stepped onto the SIEV. "We-a saw your boat from a distance. I am Serge, Serge Castelli!" The Italian man greeted Swain, but as soon as Swain reached forward to shake the newcomer's hand, he had been caught in a headlock, his gun taken and he was tossed carelessly onto the deck. "Everybody, down on the ground! NOW!" Serge yelled, pointing the Navy issue 9-mil at Swain's head as a black American man also stormed onto the boat brandishing a sawn-off shotgun, also yelling at the human cattle to get to the ground.

A third man appeared from the _Kalinda_ and grabbed Bird by the neck, dragging her over to the others, no one noticing that her dog tags had fallen to the deck. Swain could only just see Bird as she was pushed onto a box and cowered at the tip of another sawn-off, when another American voice dragged his attention away from his young charge, "What are you doing on my boat?" There, right in front of his eyes, several hundred kilometres away from where he was supposed to be, from where the _Hammmersley_ were searching for him, was Walter Berkleman.

####  **1320 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

While the black American had been redoing the tissue sampling for the cards that Swain had kept on the _Hammersley_ , Swain and Bird whispered back and forth quietly while Berkleman watched on. All of a sudden, there was a commotion and a shotgun blast rang out. The two Navy sailors looked up in shock as one of the Asian men fell to the deck with a cartridge worth of buckshot in his abdomen and chest while the black man gurgled on the deck, his neck sliced wide open. Swain watched as the man called Serge tried to stop the bleeding, but without realising it, he was actually causing more damage by also compressing the blood vessels to the point where no blood was reaching the man's brain.

When Berkleman had forced Swain at gunpoint to help the man, Bird had for a few moments seriously considered jumping over the side, but she knew that she couldn't leave Swain, nor could she swim for long enough and fast enough to escape from the organ thieves. "Alright," Swain said with a suffering sigh, "on my three, you need to remove the pressure." Swain instructed before counting down and replacing Serge's hands with his own.

####  **1425 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

With the black American man, a Dr. Sangster, now dead having bled out, it was Swain who Berkleman was forcing to perform the gruesome surgery. "Listen, if you think for one second that I am going to help you with this..." Swain said as one of the burly armed men on the _Kalinda_ pushed him into what Berkleman was, perhaps laughably, calling an operating theatre.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with," Berkleman replied speaking slowly and lowly. "I am already behind schedule because of a lost shipment."

"How many innocent people died for that?" Swain asked.

"Look," Berkleman replied, "most of my clients can wait until I replace Doctor Sangster, but one can't. The guy in Tokyo is a VERY powerful yakuza boss and there is already a plane on its way to collect a matching kidney. If that kidney is not delivered on time, well the consequences do not bear thinking about. So if you and your little Bird want to stay alive, then you best do exactly as I say."

"Killing us won't solve your problem Berkleman, will it?" Swain asked, spitting the name out.

"True," Berkleman conceded, walking over to sit down next to Bird, "so instead I'll just kill her." Hearing this Swain lowered his head and nodded in resignation, agreeing to do what the evil businessman asked.

####  **1700 Hours Local - First Dog Watch**

Bird was laid out on the table in the middle of the so called operating theatre, drugged on chloroform, her DPNU shirt and the light gray tee underneath having been ripped off by Serge in order to allow Swain to cut out her kidney. When Swain hesitated, Serge pressed hard into his back with the 9-mil threatening him if he didn't continue. When the man whose kidney was intended for the yakuza boss turned out to be the same man who killed the doctor, Berkleman had had Bird tested and it was to Swain's horror that the test revealed that Bird was blood type O-negative, a universal donor.

Making one last play for time, Swain picked up the scalpel, but paused before making the cut, saying to his two armed guards, "I'm gonna need a hand. Her bra-strap is pulling her skin too tight and I can't do anything until its removed." When Serge insisted that Swain fix it himself, he made a big show of removing his gloves and pulling off his gown, "Alright, I'm going to have to scrub in again and I thought you guys wanted this done quick."

"No, no, no, stop!" Serge said, moving around the table. "I'll do it, one hand, no problem." Right then, Swain made his move, perhaps one of the stupidest and bravest things he had ever done. With quick movements, he grabbed the hand with which Serge was holding the 9-mil and pointed it upwards while grabbing the Italian in a headlock, turning in one motion to use him as a human shield against the incoming buckshot before knocking the weapon from his second guard's hands, punching him square in the face, probably breaking his nose.

As Swain was locked in a battle, possibly for his life below decks, the _Hammersley_ had finally arrived on the scene and Berkleman was trying to flee in a small Zodiac. "Lightning, this is Thunder," the X radioed, having been asked by Maddy to lead the party herself. "You board the Kalinda, we'll pursue Berkleman."

"Roger that, X," Dusty agreed as he and Dutchy made their preparations in the other RHIB to take down the occupants of the _Kalinda_ with force if necessary.

When 2Dads, Dusty and Dutchy finally reached the lower decks having cleared the uppers, they found Swain delivering one final blow to one guy, his face badly rearranged with the other rolling on the floor in obvious pain from his extensive wounds. "Look after these two," he told them before turning back to Bird's side. "Jessica?" he called, "Jess? Jess, wake up." As she stirred, he asked, "Can you hear me, hey?" And when she caught sight of the blood spray on her bare side and she looked on in shock he reassured her, "No, no, no. It's not your blood. It's not your blood. It's OK." He wrapped her up in an emotional hug, tears leaking out of his and her eyes, both of them relieved that the terrible ordeal was over.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command North**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region LGA, Queensland Australia**  
 **1200 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is proud to award the Commendation for Brave Conduct to Petty Officer Naval Police Coxswain Christopher Matthew Blake for incredible bravery while on border protection duties in the Arafura Sea," Max read from the citation she had received from the Office of the Governor-General. "When the steaming party that Petty Officer Blake led was hijacked by organ harvesters and his junior sailor was attacked, Blake, completely unarmed successfully disarmed two of the hijackers until his crewmates could reach the vessel. With this action, Petty Officer Blake reflected great credit on himself, and on the Royal Australian Navy." With that, Max pinned the blood-red ribbon bearing a mimosa leaf onto Swain's dress whites and after swapping salutes, the crowd applauded and Swain was engulfed in two massive hugs, the first from his wife and daughter, and the second from a very thankful gap recruit.


	8. Skeletons in the Closet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew of the _Hammersley_ air out some past demons and work through some new ones as they come face to face with terrorists and exploding SIEVs...

### Chapter Eight: Skeletons in the Closet

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the Coast of Arnhem Land, Arafura Sea, Northern Territory**  
 **2355 Hours Local - First Watch**

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Maddy glanced up at the alarm clock beside her rack reading 23:55, time for the watch changeover. Rubbing her eyes she struggled out from under the sheets, flicking the light on. She struggled momentarily with the harsh white light before she managed to locate and pull her boots on. Shrugging into the Auscam shirt, she left it unbuttoned over her near-skintight gray tee, before stepping out of her cabin into the deserted corridor, her footfalls echoing along the corridor as she stepped onto the stairs and climbed up to the bridge. "I got it Dutchy," she said, moving to stand next to the ship's buffer reclining in the command chair. "You're relieved, go and get some shuteye. Captain has the ship."

"Thanks, skipper," Dutchy smiled tiredly. "Captain has the ship," he confirmed, completing an abbreviated changeover of Officer of the Watch before leaving the bridge, placing a momentary comforting hand on his CO's shoulder.

Moments later, Swain reached the bridge, the most experienced helmsman taking over from RO for the guts watch.

"Both engines stopped, anchor is let go," RO reported.

"Both engines stopped, anchor is let go," Swain confirmed after a few moments looking over the helm and the engine telegraph.

"Night, RO," Maddy said.

"Night, Skipper," RO said with a tired smile, an unusual show of emotion from Robert, as he left the bridge for his rack.

Once Swain and Maddy were alone on the bridge, the skipper rested her head on her hand as she contemplated the last 24 hours aboard the patrol boat and how a normal patrol was turned on it's head by a seemingly innocuous Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel.

####  **Earlier...**  
 **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the Coast of Arnhem Land, Arafura Sea, Northern Territory**  
 **1025 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

_"Do you hear there? Captain speaking,"_ Maddy's voice carried across the ship on the 1MC down to where Charge, Swain and Chefo were sat around a table in the Junior Sailor's Mess playing poker with 2Dads as Bird watched on. _"Coastwatch has reported sighting a SIEV in the proximity of Bright Island and we have been tasked to investigate. Our ETA is 1235 and we will be going to boarding stations in approximately two hours time. That is all."_

"What's up guys?" Bird asked, having seen three of the members of the group pale at that news, and she was curious about what caused it. "What's so special about a SIEV? We see them all the time.

"It's not the SIEV that's the problem, Bird. It's Bright Island," Swain explained, only to be met by blank looks from both 2Dads and Bird.

"What's so special about this island then?" Bird pressed on.

"It's cursed. No good has ever come of the place," Charge said, ever the ship's resident conspiracy theorist, this time with Chefo nodding in agreement.

"Nah, Charge this is another one of your conspiracy theories isn't big fella?" 2Dads shook his head.

"Actually, 2Dads, in this case I'm inclined to agree with Charge. In my experience no good has ever come of Bright Island," Swain, normally the rational and logical one, replied.

"So what is it about Bright Island then?" Bird continued trying to satisfy her curiosity.

"Well, it was back when me, Charge-o, Chefo, RO and the X were serving on the old Fremantle class Hammersley," Swain started the explanation. "It was the last six months before she was decommissioned and we had a lot of... incidents on or near Bright Island."

"Incidents?" 2Dads raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, first there was that marine biologist, Lisa Holmes. Swain here had to do an emergency trache-trach..." Charge started but struggled to pronounce the next word correctly, as he so often did with medical terms.

"Tracheostomy," Swain took up the explanation. "Her airways were blocked and she was paralysed from the neck down. She ended up dying, killed by a nerve toxin found in exotic crabs. Then there was that drug smuggling ring that rigged their rendezvous points to blow," Swain pointed to himself as he said that, shivering slightly in memory of one of several near death experiences.

"Then there was those two dead fishermen - Sam... Murray and what was his name, the other one, gave Spider the crabs..." 2Dads snorted at this. "Um..." Chefo took up the explanation, clicking his fingers, trying to remember.

"Davies! Carl Davies!" Swain blurted out as he remembered.

"Davies, that's the one. And then Swaino here was taken hostage by diamond smugglers and nearly drowned when they tied him up in the hold of their sinking ship," Chefo continued.

Swain shuddered again before he ticked off another Bright Island incident. "And then there was the news that someone was onselling the toxin that killed Murray and Holmes to the highest bidder and that old Halvorsen."

"And then of course, we had to sink the Pacific Mariner, sending all the toxin that had been extracted to the bottom of the ocean, with ten seconds to spare 'til international waters no less," Charge finished, still proud of the old Freo class boat's last job.

"Wow, I can see why you guys don't like Bright Island!" Bird said, wide-eyed as, this, combined with her recent outing on the MV Kalinda, was starting to make her realise that there was more to the Navy than just getting paid to live in the tropics, much much more.

"And now we're going back..." Chefo deadpanned.

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **5 nmi SW of Bright Island, the Arafura Sea, Northern Territory**  
 **1235 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

The sleek naval gray boat approached the supposedly cursed island, any possible sighting of the SIEV still hidden by the island looming before them, but nonetheless, the voice of Dusty was heard throughout the ship over the 1MC calling the ship to boarding stations, _"Hands to boarding stations, hands to boarding stations, hands to boarding stations."_

The _Hammersley_ continued steaming around the island, the lookouts all around keeping sharp eyes out for the SIEV said to be located still in close proximity to Bright Island. Moments later, the old rotten looking boat came into view, near packed to the gunnels with refugees, all of a sudden trying to outrun a patrol boat. "Vessel on my port bow, I am an Australian warship. You should stop, heave to, I intend to board you,"' Kate said into the handheld loudhailer as she stood on the bridge deck overlooking the action. "Vessel is stopping, ma'am," she reported as the vessel started to slow.

"Very good, XO. Rusty, insert the boarding party," Maddy nodded to her 2IC before looking over at the young third officer wearing the radio headset.

"Lightning, this is Thor. Insert, insert, insert," Rusty nodded, holding the microphone marginally closer to his mouth as he spoke.

 _"Roger, this is Lightning, inserting boarding party now,"_ Dusty's voice replied, as the two RHIBs pulled away from the sides of the patrol boat and raced across the water towards the rotting vessel.

When the RHIBs reached about halfway between the patrol boat and the SIEV, however, all hell broke loose. A Zodiac inflatable sped out from behind the SIEV, the three occupants firing guns in the direction of the boarding party, forcing them to take cover. _"We are taking fire, I repeat we are taking fire!"_ Dusty radioed desperately to the _Hammersley_ , which was, unfortunately, too far away to lend major assistance, especially when 2Dads went down, splashing into the water with a helpless cry, feeling like he had been punched in the chest.

 _"Thunder, this is Lightning. Man overboard, I have a man overboard."_ Maddy and Kate looked on in horror as Dusty informed Dutchy that someone had gone in the drink. The ensuing confusion as the other RHIB rendered assistance was enough for the Zodiac to slip out of sight, presumably onto the island, but that was only the beginning of the diversion as an almighty explosion knocked the boarding party off balance.

All that remained of the SIEV now was a burning hulk, debris and bodies were strewn over a massive area, and the crew could only watch on in horror, most of the refugees had been killed instantly in a senseless act of violence, one would assume at the hands of one of the men who left the boat in the Zodiac.

Before Dusty or Dutchy's minds could even comprehend what had happened enough to radio the ship, Renae had already spurred into action. "XO, radio Dusty, tell him to return to the ship to equip for a land based search, then I want you to take the ship. I'll be leading this one. Command state Oscar is now in force. Mark the time," the CO said, already making her way off the bridge.

"Aye ma'am," Kate nodded at her captain's retreating back before reaching for the radio.

####  **1240 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

By the time the boarding party was back on board and entered the boarding party room to re-equip for the land search, they found Maddy in the boarding party room already mostly kitted up. Their CO looked up from fitting a utility vest over her Kevlar and nodded at her Chief Petty Officer, as she started to speak, "Dusty, I'll be leading this evolution. Dutchy, Swain, Chefo, you're with us, the rest of you, back to your duties."

Various variations of "Aye," or "Yes, ma'am," filled the air as the shore party kitted up and the remaining members of the boarding party left to return to their usual duties.

"2Dads! I want you to come too," Maddy said as she looked seriously at the ship's ET.

"Aye ma'am, it'd be my pleasure," 2Dads agreed. "I feel fine, Swain! The Kevlar caught the round, I'm fine," he protested as the ship's medic tried nonetheless to give a quick check-up.

"I really shouldn't, 2Dads, but you're good in a scrap and we need all the help we can get right now," Maddy continued, still looking serious. "Okay team, we are looking for three armed hostiles, when we get to the island, I want two teams of three. Myself, Dutchy and Swain we'll be Charlie team. Dusty, 2Dads, Chefo, you'll be Bravo team. Let's go people."

####  **1248 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

The RHIB beached itself slightly as the six members of the shore party jumped out and hit the beach running. "Okay, Charlie team, we're going east. Bravo team, west. Look for the Zodiac then we head inland," Maddy explained, looking at each member of the team in turn, all carrying F88 Austeyrs, and each had a Browning 9mm pistol strapped to their thighs.

"Aye ma'am, let's go Bravo team!" Dusty said, already setting off to the west of the island.

"Okay, Charlie team. Swain, you watch the beach, I'll watch the tree line, Dutchy, you cover our backs," Maddy continued the orders, taking command of a less than ideal situation and trying to make the most of it.

The group of three made their way slowly along the beach of the small uninhabited island smack bang in the middle of the Arafura, keeping their eyes peeled for absolutely any sign of the three men. Maddy was keeping her eyes looking ahead, not willing to chance looking at the two senior sailors with her, when she heard Dutchy's voice ring clear through the air. "Contact! Boss I have two of the suspects, heading inland!" he called, having seen the two men stumble out from the tree line, looking around frantically.

"Bravo 8-2, this is Charlie 8-2, we have two suspects, heading inland from our position approximately one point five kilometres around from our landing spot. Over, " Maddy said into the portable radio handset clipped to her shoulder.

 _"Roger that, Skipper. We'll head inland to cut them off. Out,"_ Dusty's voice crackled over the air waves as Maddy and Swain followed Dutchy into the trees, now taking over the role of covering their backs.

Back aboard the _Hammersley_ , Rusty, Artie and Kate all stood on the bridge along with Charge and RO, all keeping an eye on the radar and the island and an ear on the radio, waiting for news, even though Kate knew that Bright Island was a notorious portable radio blackspot because of the high ridge and thick trees. _"Papa... This...8-2. We...two...custod..."_ suddenly crackled over the radio and RO near dived for the handset on his console.

"Say again Charlie 8-2, Not receiving you, over," RO said into the radio, hearing the harsh static as he awaited a reply.

 _"Papa 8... We have... in custody...over,"_ crackled through again and RO repeated his request.

"X, we've got a contact, looks like a Zodiac heading towards a pleasure craft of some sort," Artie noted as he looked down at the radar.

"Get it on EOD, Rusty," Kate said as she and Artie both swivelled to look at the small colour screen, and the three officers watched on as the same Zodiac as before sped away from Bright Island towards the cabin cruiser. "Shit," Kate shook her head, they couldn't leave their people, especially not the CO, on the island.

 _"Charlie 8-2, this is Papa 8-2. Return to Hammersley immediately! The third suspect has left the island and has rendezvoused with another boat. Over,"_ RO's voice finally came in loud and clear as Swain and Dutchy near dragged their two suspects over towards the RHIB.

"Shit!" Maddy unknowingly echoed the sentiment of her second in command. "Let's go people, now!" she yelled, jumping into the RHIB as quickly as her body would allow. "Papa 8-2, this is Charlie 8-2, on our way, out!" she radioed to the Hammersley as the small inflatable sped away towards the ship.

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class Patrol Boat**  
 **Off the Coast of Arnhem Land, Arafura Sea, Northern Territory**  
 **0117 Hours Local - Guts Watch**

Maddy sighed, the sat phone call to NAVCOM, with both Max and Mike on speakerphone had not been pleasant. Neither Commander had been angry at her, but rather frustrated that they had let one suspect go free, not for lack of trying, however. Once she had arrived back aboard ship they had immediately set off in chase of the cabin cruiser, but had been forced to give up the chase after it became clear that the cruiser was too far ahead of them. Commander White was rather helpful about the issue, but the skipper couldn't shake the feeling that she had let everyone down, she was after all on her first rotation as a fully qualified Lieutenant Commander CO, of which there was only 40 or so others in the whole of the Australian Navy at the time.

"Everything OK, ma'am?" Kate asked as she clambered up onto the bridge, she herself struggling to sleep.

"No Kate. I blew it today," Maddy replied candidly, looking at her hands all the time. "There was three suspects and six Navy on that island and I used all six to capture two suspects leaving the third to get away. I'm lucky Knocker didn't court-martial me!"

"Why would she court-martial you Maddy? You made a command decision in a split-second based on your best intelligence, and you made a mistake," Kate said, leaning on the radar console looking at her fellow female officer. "Everyone makes mistakes. First time I got command, temporarily, I called NAVCOM for advice about a simple stowaway situation," Kate added, chuckling in remembrance of her own naïveté.

"What did Knocker say?" the brunette asked, looking up from her hands and straight into her XO's eyes.

"Actually, it was Commander Marshall, the OIC before Knocker," Kate replied. "He ripped it into me over the satphone, but when we arrived back in port, he came and spoke to me, explaining that command is about making tough decisions and sticking by them, and that sometimes we make the wrong one. Knocker will judge you on how you bounce back from your mistake, not the mistake you made... and so will Mike," she added, reading her boss' mind.

"How did..." Maddy looked up.

"Well for one, I saw you kissing last shore leave," Kate joked, bringing a smile to her boss' face. "But secondly, I have loved Mike, so I know how it feels."

"You loved him? I'm so sorry, Kate. You must think I'm stepping on your toes.' she looked apologetic.

"At first I felt like you'd stolen him," Kate nodded in agreement, before smiling again. "But then I was reunited with an SAS Captain named Jim Roth. I realised I had fallen in love with him, and an old friend of mine always used to tell me that if you're in love with two people, pick the second one. If you really loved the first, you wouldn't have fallen for the second."

"Oh, thanks for lending an ear Kate!" Maddy said as her trademark heartwarming smile lit up her face once more. "I think we should relax tomorrow, have a steel beach barbecue before we head home!" she added, and Kate nodded thoughtfully.

"After the day we had? Definitely!" Kate said emphatically and the two officers fell about giggling.

####  **1007 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

The _Hammersley_ had been steaming south for the last three hours as part of its patrol of the Arafura and Gulf of Carpentaria, passing within sight of Groote Eylandt when Maddy called Charge forward. "Charge, what do you say to some engine maintenance?" The CO asked the chief engineer with a wink.

"I'll get out my fishing rod," Charge replied with a knowing grin.

"Very good," Maddy said, smiling and nodding before turning to Artie. "Artie, pipe specials and prepare to drop anchor."

The sea was calm and clear as _Hammersley_ sat still at anchor, the team taking the opportunity to go fishing, diving, whatever took their fancy, just enjoying the opportunity to let off steam. Chefo had the steel beach barbeque going strong, as the crew just enjoyed the beautiful northern summer weather. RO stood on board _Hammersley_ as gunner of the watch, as a precaution against sharks, or anything else that might threaten the crew. Bird, who was fast changing her mind about being a civilian paramedic, seriously considering becoming a navy medic instead with this level of camaraderie, performed a perfect 1 ½ somersault with 1 ½ twist dive off the ship, to the cheers and applause of her crewmates, surfacing with an award winning smile on her face.

Meanwhile, 2Dads tried to convince his crewmates to partake in his card tricks, never realising that the crew had realised a long time ago that he had a deck of 52 aces of spades. "Come on X! Just pick a card, just this once!" 2Dads begged the X, who pointedly refused, while discussing the spectacular weather with junior officer Rick Shaw, who was glad for this weather, especially after his last posting in Canberra.

"GERONIMO!" Everyone looked up to see Dutchy make a massive dive off the roof of the bridge, surfacing, shaking out the cobwebs a bit, before turning to Bird and saying "THAT'S how it's done!" to the laughter of the crew.


	9. War and Kidnap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Hammersley_ stumbles unwittingly on a drug buy during what had appeared to be a routine boarding. With both the seller and the buyer on board, Maxine congratulates the crew on a job well done just minutes before it is revealed that Mike has been kidnapped. When a ransom demand is issued demanding a prisoner swap, Katie breaks all the rules to chase down Mike's assailants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On this day, ninety eight years ago, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps went ashore at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Over the next eight months, the fledgling nations of Australia and New Zealand were faced with their baptism of fire and together the Anzac Spirit and Legend was forged on that narrow strip of Turkey. In Australia and New Zealand, this day, April 25, is our national day of remembrance, commemorating all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations and the contribution and suffering of all those who have served."
> 
>  
> 
> **The Ode of Remembrance**
> 
>  
> 
> _They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:_  
>  Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.  
> At the going down of the sun and in the morning,  
> We will remember them.
> 
> _LEST WE FORGET._
> 
>  
> 
> _**WARNING:** This chapter contains coarse language._

### Chapter Nine: War and Kidnap

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class patrol boat**  
 **4 nmi west of Thursday Island, Shire of Torres, the Arafura Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0405 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

Bird yawned tiredly as she stumbled down the corridor towards the cabin she had shared with Bomber and for now at least had to herself, her legs barely willing to carry her to bed after what had been an unexpectedly gruelling Guts Watch, when the MarineLink had gone down, Bird had to help 2Dads try to bring it back up, but when this failed, Charge had insisted that Bird do tech rounds at the end of each watch until the ship could get back to port and put in for maintenance. As she bent down to climb into her rack, she reached out and felt something human sized in her bed. Letting out a shriek, Bird stumbled backwards and searched for the light switch, her arm reaching behind her. When she reached the switch and white light flooded the small cabin, she let out an unfeminine growl as she recognised "Oscar", the dummy used by the crew for man overboard drills. "Fucking 2Dads," she hissed, silently promising retribution to the immature electronics technician.

Only after Bird had dragged the wayward dummy (Oscar, that is, not 2Dads) up onto the deck and stowed him in the correct place did the young gap recruit finally tumble into her rack ready to catch some sleep before the call of hands in the morning.

####  **0855 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

"Uh, 2Dads?" Bird asked as she walked up to the man in question holding two steaming brews. "Chefo thought you could do with a coffee," she added, handing him one of the mugs before turning to walk away.

As 2Dads lifted his mug to his lips, his eyes caught sight of the large spider sitting on his cup, and in his half-asleep state he failed to notice that the creature was latex, and instead reacted with shock, resulting in a massive spillage of coffee and 2Dads' shocked yell of "Holy buggering shit!" Hearing Bird cackling as she walked around the corner, 2Dads looked solemn and decreed, "Right, little Bird, if it is a war that you want, then it is a war that you will get!"

####  **1132 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

Bird knew full well that 2Dads would find some way to pay her back for the coffee attack, but she also knew that 2Dads was far too clever about his jokes to do anything at all that Bird expected. But after she reported to Swain with a rash on her backside from itching powder, she seriously cursed the name of Leo Kosov-Meyer. Even though this war had only started that morning, it was already clear to Bird that she would need to end the war now, make a pre-emptive strike.

The next time Bird saw 2Dads, she looked at him calculatingly, schooling her expression into one of an evil, knowing smirk, as if Bird expected something to happen. Even though 2Dads had maybe two inches in height and a fair few kilos in weight on her, he actually looked fearful and gulped, his mind instantly making up all kinds of possible retribution that the beautiful young woman could have come up with.

####  **1205 Hours Local - Forenoon Watch**

When 2Dads lined up in the chow line for lunch, he suddenly saw Bird was helping Chefo with the serving and he subconsciously shuddered. When he reached the front of the line, he was handed a plate by Bird who cheerfully said, "Enjoy your meal, 2Dads!" Hearing this cheerfulness, he suddenly found that he no longer felt hungry and he dumped his food in the bin before stalking off in the direction of the bridge.

Seeing this, Maddy looked around in confusion at the rest of her crew. "Anyone know what's up with 2Dads? she asked to the group at large.

"No, ma'am," Bird spoke up. "Maybe he just decided he wasn't hungry?"

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class patrol boat**  
 **18 nmi west of Thursday Island, Shire of Torres, the Arafura Sea, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0600 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

When 2Dads finally awoke the next morning and stumbled onto the bridge, it was clear to everyone, and especially to Bird that 2Dads had hardly slept and possibly hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. Feeling woozy, 2Dads collapsed at Bird's feet, and as Swain rushed to help him, he looked up at the teen and said, "I am NOT worthy, Master Kenobi!"

"What does he mean by that?" Kate asked looking on, concerned that 2Dads had finally gone crazy.

"He means that I just outpranked his last prank by not playing a prank," Bird explained. When greeted by a sea of confused looks, she proudly elaborated, "I had 2Dads so concerned about my retribution that he was scared. So scared that he couldn't eat and evidently couldn't sleep in the expectation that I would strike when he was vulnerable."

"Very well," Kate said, fighting back a smirk. "Swain, take 2Dads down to the galley and get some food into him, then make sure he hits his rack for a few hours sleep. Meanwhile, Bird, you can do tech rounds again until 2Dads is lucid enough to get the MarineLink console back up to full operation."

"Yes, X," Bird nodded with an unrepentant smile on her face as she picked up the clipboard from beside the console in question.

####  **0755 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

"Vessel on my port bow, I am an Australian warship. You should stop, or heave to, I intend to board you," Kate's voice boomed across the water towards the rickety suspected Foreign Fishing Vessel.

"The vessel is not stopping, ma'am," RO reported as the whole population of the bridge noticed that the vessel was continuing to go like the clappers.

"If that's how they want to play it, take a snatch party Dusty," Maddy said.

"Aye, ma'am." Dusty nodded and picked up the 1MC microphone, "Hands to boarding stations, hands to boarding stations, hands to boarding stations, assume damage control state 3, condition Yankee."

Within minutes, like a well-oiled machine, the crew of the _Hammersley_ had the RHIBs in the water and speeding away to the suspected FFV. As they pulled alongside, Dusty and Dutchy both jumped up onto the wooden deck and unholstered their weapons looking around cautiously. "We are the Australian Navy, make your presence known!" Dusty called out.

"Swain, Chefo, wheelhouse! 2Dads, RO, you search below, Dusty and I will take the cabin," Dutchy ordered, sending the boarding party to undertake their allotted tasks.

"Drop your weapons! Back of the boat! Drop it, move to the back! We are the Australian Navy, put your weapon down!" A loud litany of commands filled the air as the three teams on board cleared the boat and brought the five inhabitants to the stern.

"Papa 8-2, this is Bravo 8-2, vessel is secure, ma'am! Some resistance encountered, no shots fired, over," Dusty reported, speaking into the portable radio clipped to his shoulder.

"Thanks Dusty, do a thorough search and assess for towing, over," Maddy replied.

"Aye, ma'am. Out," Dusty finished before turning back to the crew, all of whom were Australian, the last thing that the boarding party had expected.

"Dusty! You better take a look at this!" 2Dads yelled from the cabin, before running out carrying a large brown paper bag. He tipped it out onto the deck and several plastic-wrapped packets of white powder fell onto the deck. "I'd guess it's cocaine."

"I'd have to agree," Dusty said after a few seconds of inspecting the packets. "Papa 8-2, this is Bravo 8-2, we have found a quantity of drugs on board, and it's definitely a traffickable quantity, over!"

"Roger that, Dusty. Bring the suspects over to Hammersley then secure the scene and prepare the boat for tow so we can hand them over to the Feds, out." Maddy ordered.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1550 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"Congratulations, Maddy, Kate," Maxine said as she welcomed them back to Cairns. "I just got off the phone from the Federal Police and they were incredibly appreciative, for once! To be able to get both the drug lord and the buyer in one hit is a big blow in the drug war."

"Thank you, ma'am," Maddy said sincerely. "It was one of the easier arrests we've had all year I think."

The meeting was interrupted by a knock on the door frame and a young sub lieutenant stood in the entry. "Ummm, ma'am, we just received an anonymous phone call stating that if we want to see Commander Flynn again, we will return a call to this number stating that we are prepared to take the drug shipment and ALL the men we captured to a swap at a place of the other person's choosing. We checked, no one has seen the commander since the Hammersley arrived back in port."

The three female occupants of Maxine's office all paled at the realisation that Mike had been captured. Maxine took charge, "Charlton! Get me the Feds!"

"Aye, ma'am," Sub Lieutenant Jennifer Charlton nodded and rushed off to the nearest available phone.

####  **1621 Hours Local - First Dog Watch**

In the "officer's wardroom" at NAVCOM, the area where all the officers at the shore base went to take a break, have a coffee, chill out, was currently empty but for one person and the sounds of sobbing filled the air. Maddy Norton sat on the floor in the farthest corner of the room from the door, her arms wrapped around her knees and her face buried into her knees also. Every now and then her body was wracked by a particularly heavy sob and shook from the force. She heard the sounds of footsteps approaching, but she couldn't find it in herself to care enough who it was and she didn't even bother to look up. "Maddy?" the question, asked in a soft voice, reached her ears, and finally the distraught woman raised her head, looking into the eyes of her superior officer.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but Mike's been kidnapped and I don't think I can go on without him," Maddy said, tryng desperately to dry her tears. "I love him, Max!"

Maxine smiled inwardly as Maddy inadvertently confirmed something that she had been thinking for several weeks. "Maddy, Mads, Mike is tough, he'll be fine," she consoled the distraught woman. "Remember, I love him too, he's the best friend I've ever had, and the godfather of my child."

"I know, Max, but it's still so hard," Maddy admitted as Max sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around the younger girl.

"Yes it is, but Mike would want you to be strong, and to do your job," Max replied sagely.

####  **HMAS _Hammersley_ \- _Armidale_ class patrol boat**  
 **4 nmi east of Thursday Island, Shire of Torres, the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0355 Hours Local - Guts Watch**

"Ma'am, you're needed on the bridge," Chefo informed Maddy as the _Hammersley_ slipped through the waters of the Arafura Sea, finishing the last days of the patrol that had been cut short. Most of the crew had struggled to concentrate knowing that their former commanding officer was currently missing after having been kidnapped the day before, and the skipper was no exception.

"Thanks, Chefo," Maddy nodded absentmindedly, "I'm on my way."

"What have we got, X?" she asked minutes later as she stepped up onto the bridge.

"We've got a cabin cruiser on radar and the transponder unit identifies it as Blue Star, registered to a Rowan Wells of Cairns," Kate replied with a knowing smile.

"Rowan Wells? The drug trafficker?" Maddy asked in shock. "Pipe senior sailors to the ship's office and then prepare for a stealth takedown," she ordered with a hardened look.

####  **0445 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

"Are we really going through with this, X?" Bird asked as she and the executive officer vectored the two RHIBs into position just like they had during the boarding of the Trader Star a few short months ago.

"We are, Bird," X replied vehemently as Maddy watched silently from her place in the command chair.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0450 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

"Commander White, we just received another ransom demand from the kidnappers," Sub Lieutenant Charlton informed her superior. "They repeated their demand for a prisoner swap in addition to the drug shipment AND complete immunity from prosecution on the drug charges."

"Well that isn't going to happen," Maxine said, but nevertheless turned to brief the Feds.

####  **MV _Blue Star_**  
 **6 nmi east of Thursday Island, Shire of Torres, the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia**  
 **0500 Hours Local - Morning Watch**

The boarding party were completely silent as the _Blue Star_ hooked the line and pulled the two rigid-hulled inflatables slowly in towards the side of the hull. Without a single sound, the sailors clambered aboard the cabin cruiser and within moments the flybridge was secured and the search below decks had begun. Systematically, the crew went through the rooms, one by one searching for the missing officer, and then, just as chances were starting to look slim, Swain pulled open the last door to find Mike, bound hand and foot and having clearly been beaten heavily. Pulling a pocket knife from his vest, Dutchy sliced through the plasti-cuffs while Swain removed the gag and started his medical appraisal.

"Commander, can you hear me?" Swain asked and he sighed in relief as Mike nodded groggily.

"Skipper, this is Dutchy, we have Mike, I repeat we have Mike," Dutchy radioed.

####  **Headquarters, Naval Forces Command Northern Region**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ , Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1550 Hours Local - Afternoon Watch**

"What in the blazes were you thinking?" Maxine yelled at her subordinate, even though she was not as angry as she knew she should be. "You boarded an Australian flagged vessel without permission and without any proof of wrongdoing!"

"Ma'am, it was a vessel of interest in the case, and the vessel of a known drug dealer..." Maddy interjected.

"Don't interrupt me!" Maxine barked, trying her hardest to work a head of steam. "It's hard enough chastising you when I agree with your actions, but you are bloody lucky that Canberra isn't sending you a rocket Maddy! And I'm still not sure that they won't!"

"Yes ma'am," Maddy nodded, trying her best to remain in the brace position and look contrite.

"Thank you for getting Mike back," Max said in a normal voice this time before raising it slightly one last time, "but next time, rather than taking the Mike Flynn approach, try to keep out of them damn grey areas or you'll give me grey hairs dammit! Dismissed!"

"Yes, ma'am," Maddy said crisply before turning and leaving the office.

####  **Barry Naval General Hospital**  
 **HMAS _Cairns_ \- Portsmith Annex, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia**  
 **1632 Hours Local - First Dog Watch**

"Hey there sailor," Maddy said fondly as she stepped into Mike's private hospital room.

"Hey, Mads," Mike replied somewhat weakly, but decidedly stronger than when Swain and Chefo had carried him into the wardroom on board Hammersley.

"You're looking better, love," Maddy said as she took a seat beside Mike's bed and clasped his hand between both of hers.

Mike nodded and gave his girlfriend a weak smile, "I'm feeling much better as well. The doctor's are keeping me in overnight, but they're pretty sure it's just a concussion and a bit of dehydration and I'll be up and about in no time at all."


End file.
